Fungi for the Herbarium 



Mycelium (thread-like, cottony, compact, root-like, sclerotioid 

 [hard], coloured). 



Veil. (Examine young specimens). 



j (Relative position, permanent or fugacious [quickly disappearing], 

 ^'"^- \ etc.). 



Volva. (Examine young buttons, base of stem, surface of pilaus). 



Remarks. 



Collector's Outfit. — For collecting fungi there is nothing 

 better than a cheap splint basket with a cover. The size will 

 depend upon the ambition and strength of the collector. In ad- 

 dition, a chisel for woody fungi and a trowel or broad-bladed 

 knife will be found convenient ; also a few small boxes for 

 fragile species," and a package of thin, tough, uncoloured paper 

 in which other specimens may be put. Sheets of six inches 

 square and also of twelve by twenty-four are convenient sizes. 

 Before the specimens are put in the basket, those of a kind should 

 be compactly piled in the centre of a sheet, and the four corners 

 of the sheet brought together and ftistened by twisting them. 

 The slip with the notes may either be put inside the package or 

 fastened on the outside. 



Care of Specimens. — As soon as possible after reaching 

 home, the packages should be taken from the basket and spread 

 out in convenient places. If the specimens are to be used imme- 

 diately for identification, begin with the most perishable, or they 

 will be lost by decay. If they are to be preserved for future use, 

 put them in the warmest place available where they will not 

 burn. This may be under or over the kitchen stove, or in the 

 furnace-room of the hotel or laundry; or, if any of these places is 

 not practicable, then a drier may be improvised by placing over 

 a lamp a frame made of wire screening. 



Collecting Spores. — At least one specimen of each kind 

 should be set for spores. This is readily done by thrusting the 

 stem of one plant through a hole in a disk of gummed paper so 

 that the paper fits closely against the gills. This disk may be 

 held in place by thrusting the stem of the fungus through a piece 

 of thin paper and then bringing the paper above the cap and 

 twisting the corners. Use white disks for fungi suspected of 

 having coloured spores, and coloured paper for those suspected of 



147 



