Fungi. 219 



one, agreeable, in another disagreeable. It is in some in- 

 stances very perceptible while the plant is fresh, but disap- 

 pears when the plant has become dry; again it is very 

 very slight in the fresh state of the plant, but distinct 

 enough in the dry. Ladarius glyciosmus is an example of 

 the first kind, L. camphoratus, of the second. The odor 

 of the last, however, is more like that of melilot or dried 

 Cyperus inflexus than like that of camphor. Some species 

 emit an intolerable order while drying or decaying, although 

 not offensive while growing. Some species have the odor 

 of radishes, others, of aromatic plants, and some of new 

 meal. Odor in some instances affords a very good charac- 

 ter for readily determining species. 



Fungi not only vary in fragrance, but also in flavor. 

 Generally in the raw state they have a mushroomy or fun- 

 goid flavor more or less distinct and not especially agreeable 

 to a palate not educated to such a taste. Aside from this, 

 many species have a taste peculiar to themselves ; one 

 which, like their odor, may be of service to the student in 

 the identification of species. This flavor is in some cases 

 similar to the odor of the species. It may be sweetish, bitter, 

 nauseous, in some, like meal, in others, like rich oily nuts, 

 and in the Ladarii especially, it is frequently acrid, that is, 

 hot, pungent or peppery, rivaling in some species the pun- 

 gency of the famous Cayenne pepper. In the case of Ladar- 

 ius piperitus, this pungency disappears by cooking, so that 

 this species is classed with the edible Fungi, although far from 

 palatable in the raw state. The flavors of various species 

 when cooked have been compared to the taste of beef 

 steak, lamb kidney, brain fritters and fried oysters. Fungi 

 are propagated by spores and by their mycelium. The 

 fertilizing process is yet involved in some mystery. It has 

 not been fully shown whether the fertilization takes place 

 in the mycelium or primary state, or in the fully developed 

 plant. Upon the .lamellae of Agarics some of the cells are 



