160 
With a delicate scymetar-shaped knife, or scalpel, such as 
is found in a surgeon's instrument-case, I make a double 
vertical section, through the middle, from the top of the pileus 
to the base of the stipes, so as to remove a slice, (t. 83, f. 
a. a.) This, it will be at once seen, shows the vertical out- 
line of the whole Fungus, the internal nature of its stipes, 
whether hollow, or spongy, or solid, the thickness of the 
pileus, and the peculiarities of the gills, whether equal or un- 
equal in length, decurrent upon the stipes, or otherwise, &c. 
"There will then remain the two sides or (nearly) halves of the 
Fungus, (t. 83, f. b. b. b.) which each in itself gives a correct 
idea, if I may so express myself, of the whole circumference 
of the plant. But before we proceed to dry them, it is neces- 
sary to separate the stipes from the pileus, and, from the 
latter, to scrape out the fleshy lamelle or gills, if an Agaric; 
or the tubes of the Boletus. We have thus the Fungus 
divided into 5 portions ; a central thin slice, 2 (nearly) halves 
of the stipes, and the same sections of the pileus :—these — 
after being a little exposed to the air, that they may part 
with some of their moisture, but not so long that they shrivel, 
are to be placed between dry blotting paper, and subjected 
to pressure as other plants; the papers being changed daily 
till the specimens are perfectly dry. When this is the case 
the central portion, or slice, and the two halves of the stipes 
are to be fastened upon white paper, together with the 
respective halves of the pileus upon the top of the latter, ™ 
their original position. Here will thus be three sections; 
from which a correct idea of the whole plant may be ob- 
tained. The volva and annulus, of such species as posses 
them, must be retained. de EE à 
With care, even the most fugacious species, such as Agari- 
cus fimetarius, ovatus, &c. may be very well preserved, a 
cording to this method. P 
Some of the smaller and less fleshy kinds will not require 
to have the lamelle removed, such as Agaricus filipes, supinisy 
ut ri / &c. e * ; (S 
In collecting fleshy Fungi, care must be taken that they 
are not too old and absolutely in a state of decomposition» ad 
