THE CLASSIFICATION OF AGARICS 



The plant kingdom consists of two large groups; the Beed bearing 

 plants or Phanerogams and the spore-forming plants <>r Crypto- 

 gams. Tlic Latter are sometimes referred to as "the lower plants" 

 although they include also the Large, tree-like ferns. The Crypto- 

 gams include the green plants Like the Algae, Mosses and Ferns; 



they also include an enormous number of plants which do not pos- 

 sess the ordinary green color and these are the FUNGI. In the 

 following outline of the fungi the grouping is given in a scientific 



manner, since this is the only arrangement sufficiently accurate. 

 For the terms which are strange to the beginner, reference must 

 be made to the glossary. Consistent perseverance and the ase of 

 elementary books on botany are the only self-helps that can be 

 advised when one is first plunged into the subject. The best way 

 to begin the study is by the help of a teacher or of a companion 

 who is already somewhat informed and is enthusiastic enough to 

 help others. Mycologieal clubs are of great value in this respect. 

 This work treats only of a single one of the many families "f 

 Fungi, and for others the student is referred to the books dealing 

 with the other groups. 



The Keys 



The arrangement of the species of each genus in the form "I k( - 

 or synopses is entirely artificial and arbitrary; heme these keys are 

 merely guide-boards to point the student in the right direction by 

 the use of selected characteristics of each species. A specimen is 

 not to be considered identified when it is ••run down" in the key, 

 but the name SO obtained should be referred to iii the text and the 

 description of the plant carefully applied to the specimen in hand. 



Such keys cannot be constructed so as to be perfect since plants of 

 this class are quite variable and one often finds specimens not a1 



all typical and hence they do not tit into the key at the right place. 

 An amateur should use the glossary constantly at first until the 

 meanings of the terms become fixed. Many of these keys were tried 



out for years on fresh plants and continually revised and it is 



hoped they will seldom mislead very far. The keys are mostly 

 dichotomous; starting on the Left, the plant must agree, for example 



