charm to mere colour certainly, and its viscidity when springing from the dewy autumnal grass, among the 

 early-faUen leaves, does not recommend it to the delicate fingers which have not yet conquered their repug- 

 nance to a little " clean dirt." We must confess that it is a puzzling dilemma to secure Funguses, however 

 rare and valuable to the collector, without some conscientious scruples, when the gloves are clean ! Supposing 

 the Mycologist to have grown quite reconciled to finger-contact with his treasures, with the soil in which 

 they are growing, or the wet decaying leaves that shroud them, and that unliesitatingly the glove is with- 

 drawn — how to put it on again is a problem very difficult of solution. Philosophically and chemically we 

 know there is no such thing as dirt ; yet substances exquisitely pure and clean in themselves may stain, 

 and stick, and injure, rendering dirty, by an improper combination, such as fingers with an earthy root, or 

 gloves with a viscid pileus. How to carry Agarics in a cambric pocket-handkercliief without reducing them 

 to a confused amalgamation of heads and tails, has hitherto puzzled all adventurers in that speculation ; but 

 there is a more serious question involved in the affair, as it is very unlikely that you providently stai-ted with 

 two pocket-handkerchiefs, how are you to procure the use of one ? The moral apphcation of all this is : 

 go out in season provided with gloves which are not to be injured by contact with a Toadstool, and a tool 

 capable of extracting even Agaricus radicatus without more Cahbanish use of the fingers than is desirable ; 

 do not break pen-knives in digging a foot deep, leaving root and blade in juxta-positiou, out of reach of that 

 brittle piece of stick you found for a substitute. Do not throw away the pudding-like mess you ha\-e 

 hitherto carried so patiently because all seem spoiled ; you are only tired ; some may be available and you 

 can take a basket next time. At any rate, do not finish by grumbhng at Agarics and the study of them, 

 because you have been mis-applying aU manner of means to gain an end, they were never calculated to help 

 you to. With Funguses tliis may be a joke ; but it is often carried into things far more important. We 

 neglect the " old experience " which has attained to " something like prophetic strain;" life passes in gaining, 

 or more truly " buying," experience for ourselves, till at last we have acquired wisdom to guide us safely, 

 if we raight pass through our career afresh. How many set off, taking no thought of "the tool," and the 

 " basket." A w"eary journey of life is theirs ! Vale ! gentle reader, may you avoid the error ! 



