8 



Bulletin 138. 



parts, but that they can be distinguished by the color, form, texture, 

 etc., of the parts. Before examining the structure of the mushroom 

 more closely we may inquire into its history. I mean its life history; 

 how it grows from a bit of white stuff to the size and form shown in 

 the figure. 



If we turn to figure 88 we see some quite small plants of the 

 common mushroom, which are just peeping through the sod, and 

 are lifting their caps among the clover and blades of grass. The 

 earth was removed from one side before the photograph was 



89. — Agariats cainpestris. Soil removed to show large '* button,^^ and 

 nunitroiis small '■^ buttons^'' attached to the ^' sj>aiun^'' or strands of 

 vivcelium. 



taken, so that the short stems in the soil are laid bare. At this 

 age the plant is popularly called a " button," because of its form. Two 

 quite small " buttons " still underneath the sod have been bared by 

 the removal of the earth. At the left lower corner of the picture are 

 some small white bits of mushroom stuff yet '' unformed." This is 

 known popularly as the '■'■ spauniy In another photograph (figure 89) 

 this " spawn " is better shown. This has also been uncovered. Here 

 the spawn is shown to consist of rather coarse whitish strands, or 

 cords. One large button is present, and scattered on either side are 



