Fungi. 217 



the fruit bearing part of the plant develops. A full supply 

 of moisture and a moderately high temperature are neces- 

 sary for the growth of most Agarics. He who seeks them 

 in time of prolonged drought, will seek in vain. A cor- 

 respondent writes thus ; " My journey to the Cumberland 

 Mountains was tolerably pleasant, but the weather was 

 dreadfully hot and dry, even on their summit. JSTot a 

 mushroom did I see. We have had scarcely any about here 

 since spring. On the 3d inst. we had a hard rain, the first 

 in a long time, and the next day I found an abundant crop 

 of pink gills, (Ag. campestris.) " In ordinary dry weather 

 Agarics may be found in shaded swamps when not occur- 

 ring elsewhere. From one-half of a certain swamp in a 

 neighboring town the trees and bushes had been cleared. 

 In passing through the cleared portion of this swamp, two 

 species of Fungi were found, they being species commonly 

 growing in places exposed to the full rays of the sun ; but 

 in passing on through the wooded shaded portion, twelve 

 species were detected. It should be stated that in spring 

 and early summer, comparatively few species occur, no 

 matter how copious the rains or moist the atmosphere. 



The black-spored Coprinarii and the vernal species and 

 such as recur throughout the season, as Agaricus laccatus, 

 Agaricus campanella, etc., are the principal ones then to be 

 found. This part of the season seems to be required for 

 the development of the mycelium. But let frequent showers 

 and warm rains occur from July to October and the har- 

 vest of Agarics will be abundant. If the weather be not 

 too cold nor too dry they continue quite plentiful until the 

 frosty, freezing nights of November put an end to their 

 further development. The season of 1868 being quite warm 

 and toward the latter part abounding in rain was one very 

 favorable to the growth of Agarics. The past season, 1869, 

 though by no means excessively dry in our section, was 

 less productive of these Fungi, owing doubtless to the gene- 



[Trans. vi.~\ 28 



