﻿112 
  A 
  PLAIN 
  AND 
  EASY. 
  ACCOUNT 
  

  

  in 
  small 
  paper 
  pill-boxes 
  for 
  future 
  reference 
  or 
  exami- 
  

   nation. 
  Some 
  forms, 
  especially 
  of 
  Peziza, 
  resemble 
  the 
  

  

  snields 
  or 
  receptacles 
  of 
  certain 
  lichens, 
  with 
  which, 
  

   nevertheb 
  ss, 
  none 
  but 
  a 
  novice 
  would 
  confound 
  them. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  manufacture 
  of 
  the 
  handsome 
  Tunbridge-ware. 
  

   ,i 
  variety 
  of 
  wood 
  is 
  employed, 
  under 
  the 
  name 
  of 
  green 
  

   oak. 
  Although 
  of 
  a 
  mineral-green 
  colour, 
  this 
  is 
  the 
  

   ordinary 
  British 
  oak 
  ; 
  but 
  the 
  alteration 
  which 
  it 
  has 
  

   undergone 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  the 
  presence 
  of 
  a 
  fungus. 
  A 
  hand- 
  

   some 
  little 
  species 
  resembling 
  a 
  Peziza 
  (HHotium 
  cent- 
  

   al 
  nosum) 
  traverses 
  with 
  its 
  mycelium 
  the 
  whole 
  fabric 
  

   of 
  such 
  wood, 
  and 
  these 
  minute 
  threads 
  jnve 
  their 
  green 
  

  

  * 
  CO 
  

  

  tint 
  to 
  the 
  timber. 
  When 
  examined 
  under 
  the 
  micro- 
  

   scope, 
  the 
  beautiful 
  network 
  of 
  the 
  green 
  mycelium 
  is 
  

   distinctly 
  seen. 
  This 
  fungus 
  attacks 
  the 
  fallen 
  oak- 
  

   branches, 
  and 
  the 
  timber 
  affected 
  by 
  it 
  is 
  therefore 
  

   generally 
  small 
  in 
  diameter 
  ; 
  but, 
  from 
  the 
  minute 
  size 
  

   required 
  in 
  the 
  manufacture 
  for 
  which 
  it 
  is 
  employed, 
  it 
  

   answers 
  equally 
  with 
  the 
  largest. 
  Green 
  wood 
  is 
  so 
  

   exceedingly 
  uncommon 
  that, 
  although 
  in 
  a 
  state 
  of 
  

   decay, 
  the 
  green 
  oak 
  becomes 
  of 
  a 
  marketable 
  value. 
  

   The 
  little 
  green 
  open 
  cups 
  of 
  this 
  Helotium 
  are 
  not 
  so 
  

   commonly 
  met 
  with 
  as 
  the 
  timber 
  showing 
  traces 
  of 
  its 
  

   mycelium. 
  

  

  So 
  long 
  since 
  as 
  the 
  time 
  of 
  Pliny 
  and 
  Dioscoridcs, 
  

   the 
  truffle 
  seems 
  to 
  have 
  been 
  known 
  and 
  appreciated. 
  

   There 
  are 
  numerous 
  species, 
  and 
  several 
  of 
  these 
  are 
  

   indigenous 
  to 
  Britain. 
  In 
  form 
  and 
  habit 
  they 
  differ 
  

   considerably 
  from 
  the 
  majority 
  of 
  fungi, 
  having 
  the 
  

   appeal 
  ance 
  of 
  rough, 
  dark-ooloured, 
  warty 
  nodules, 
  

  

  