MUSHROOM GROWING 



collar is formed when the rapid expansion 

 and maturity of the cap ruptures the tissue 

 described. The lamellae or gill-like struc- 

 tures occurring on the under surface of the 

 cap reach for the most part from the stem 

 to the periphery. In the white or cream 

 varieties these gills are distinctly pink un- 

 til after the formation of the collar, then in 

 a day or two they turn a deep brownish 

 black. Among some of the varieties pos- 

 sessing a brown upper surface of the cap, 

 the gills may be only grayish pink when 

 young, but these turn dark with age. We 

 shall see that this darkening of the gills is 

 most significant. 



An examination of immature mushrooms 

 shows that no ring is to be found and that 

 instead of this there is a "veil" stretching 

 from the stem to the periphery of the cap, 

 thus wholly shielding the developing gills. 

 Since the cap rapidly expands with the 

 maturity of the plant, the veil is broken and 

 the greater portion of this structure usually 

 remains adherent to the stem as the ring 



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