﻿14 
  

  

  A 
  TLAIN 
  AND 
  EASY 
  ACCOUNT 
  

  

  The 
  accompanying 
  woodcut 
  will 
  make 
  clearer 
  the 
  

   position 
  and 
  relation 
  of 
  the 
  parts 
  we 
  have 
  described. 
  

   At 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  this 
  section 
  of 
  an 
  Agaric 
  the 
  mycelium 
  is 
  

  

  represented 
  at 
  m, 
  proceeding 
  

   from 
  this 
  the 
  stipe 
  or 
  stem 
  

   (.s), 
  surrounded 
  by 
  the 
  remains 
  

   of 
  the 
  volva 
  or 
  wrapper 
  (v). 
  

   The 
  stem 
  is 
  surmounted 
  by 
  a 
  

   pileus 
  or 
  cap 
  (p), 
  bearing 
  

   lamella) 
  or 
  gills 
  on 
  the 
  under 
  

   surface 
  (g). 
  which 
  have 
  been 
  

   exposed 
  by 
  the 
  disappearance 
  

   of 
  the 
  indusium 
  or 
  veil, 
  leaving 
  traces 
  in 
  the 
  form 
  of 
  

   an 
  cumulus 
  or 
  ring 
  (a) 
  around 
  the 
  stem. 
  

  

  If 
  we 
  collect 
  a 
  specimen 
  of 
  mushroom, 
  or 
  any 
  Agaric. 
  

   and 
  having 
  separated 
  the 
  stem 
  from 
  the 
  pileus, 
  invert 
  

   the 
  latter, 
  with 
  the 
  gills 
  downwards, 
  upon 
  a 
  piece 
  of 
  

   glass 
  or 
  a 
  sheet 
  of 
  writing-paper, 
  in 
  the 
  course 
  of 
  an 
  

   hour 
  or 
  two 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  fine 
  dust-like 
  bodies 
  will 
  be 
  

   seen 
  to 
  have 
  fallen 
  from 
  the 
  under 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  pileus 
  

   upon 
  the 
  glass 
  or 
  paper. 
  These 
  are 
  the 
  reproductive 
  

   bodies, 
  known 
  as 
  spores, 
  which 
  arc 
  borne 
  upon 
  the 
  

   surface 
  of 
  the 
  lamellaB. 
  Their 
  colour 
  will 
  in 
  many 
  

   instances 
  be 
  white, 
  but 
  in 
  some 
  of 
  a 
  purple 
  tint, 
  or 
  

   various 
  shades 
  of 
  brown. 
  The 
  further 
  and 
  more 
  

   minute 
  examination 
  of 
  these 
  bodies 
  requires 
  the 
  aid 
  of 
  

   a 
  microscope. 
  

  

  It 
  has 
  been 
  said 
  that 
  the 
  spores 
  of 
  Agarics 
  are 
  home 
  

   upon 
  what 
  are 
  termed 
  Jic 
  gills, 
  and 
  that 
  the 
  spore- 
  

   bearing 
  surface 
  is 
  called 
  the 
  hymcniuin. 
  In 
  the 
  genus 
  

  

  