60 THE PLANT WOELD 



obtain information about the fungi, either for the sake of using them as 

 food, or for the pleasure which an acquaintance with their habits and 

 home life may give." The first three chapters are of a general nature, 

 treating of "The Homes and Habits of Fungi," "The Relation of Fungi 

 to other Plants," and "From Spore to Mushroom." An illustrated key 

 follows, containing cuts representing the genera which include most of 

 the higher and more conspicuous forms of Ascomj^cetes and Basidio- 

 mycetes. The beginner will probably find these cuts very helpful. 

 Most of them are suiiiciently accurate for generic determination. Those 

 intended to represent a "rust" and a "puffball" are very crude, how- 

 ever. 



The systematic jjortion of the book beginning with Amanita and 

 ending with Helvella, has descriptions of many of the most common 

 eastern species. Where space permits the selection of so few of the 

 numerous species occurring, it could scarcely be expected that any two 

 persons would choose exactly the same list. While there is occasion- 

 ally a species which does not seem to us sufficiently common to deserve 

 a place, and a few which we had expected to find are not present, yet 

 the majority are well selected, and represent fairly well our more com- 

 mon eastern sj)ecies, Tlie descriptions are rather brief in some cases 

 but perhaps on the whole as complete as most readers will re- 

 quire or can use advantageously. The illustrations are the most useful 

 and commendable feature of the book. Ten species representing seven 

 genera of Ascomycetes, and seventy-three si>ecies representing thirty- 

 five genera of Basidiomycetes, are illustrated by photographs in color 

 and half-tone. Most of the color plates, while lacking considerable of 

 perfection, are nevertheless superior to many others that have appeared, 



Tlie most important matter connected with the book, however, is 

 that of edible and poisonous species. The X)ublisliers say that " this is 

 a practical and pov)ular book ^' " enabling the unscientific reader 

 to identify the edible and poisonous varieties." That this is a rather 

 rash and even dangerous statement, we think all who have made a 

 special study of edible and poisonous fungi will admit. Some of our 

 edible and ix>isonous species, esi>ecially of the genus Amanita, show so 

 many perplexing forms, that they frequently puzzle the most skilled 

 mycologist. The only safe course for the untrained mycophagist is to 

 avoid entirely the two genera Amanita and Amanitopsis. 



It is but fair to the author, however, to quote a statement in 

 contrast to the one cited above. On page 151 in the chapter on 

 "Fungi for the Table," the following advice is given : "Unless yon are 

 experienced in making careful observations and comparisons, eat only 

 those fungi which have been shown to you by some one who has tried 

 them and knoAvs them to be wholesome, — -C. L, S, 



