THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 73 



derful instances of flowers that are not flowers, iDut our 

 own fields have many that are not here mentioned. — 

 Willard N. Clute in The Amateur Naturalist. 



HOW MUSHROOMS GROW. 



In all fungi the portion visible to the naked eye how- 

 ever varied its forin or colour, represents only the repro- 

 ductive portion ; w^hereas the vegetative part is buried in 

 the substance froin w^hich the fungus obtains its food. 

 The popular belief that the mushroom and other fungi 

 grow in a single night is not correct ; it is quite true that 

 when the mushroom has reached a certain stage of devel- 

 opment, one or two days suffice for it to attain its full size 

 after it appears above ground. Before this final spurt is 

 reached, however, the hshy mushroom has been growing 

 for some weeks, and undergone various changes of struc- 

 ture and development before it emerges above ground. A 

 little thought will recall to mind the fact that mushrooms 

 do not spring up within two or three days after the form- 

 ation of a mushroom bed," but several wrecks elapse before 

 the mushrooms are ready for the table. 



The various methods of spore dispersion as occurring 

 in the fungi are interesting ; only a few of the most pro- 

 nounced can be noticed here. By far the most universal 

 agent in effecting the distribution of spores is wind, as 

 may be observed when a ripe puff-ball is crushed under 

 foot. Insects are also answerable for the extension of 

 many fungus epidemics, by alternately feeding on, or visit- 

 ing diseased and healthy plants, and in so doing uncon- 

 sciously conveying spores from one plant to another. 

 Perhaps the most interesting instance occurs in a group of 

 fungi to w^hichour stinkhorn belongs. Most of the species 

 are tropical ; in this country we have only three repre- 

 sentatives. In this group the reproductive portion of the 

 lungus often assumes most fantastic forms, and is general- 

 ly brilliantly coloured. Over this framework is spread at 

 maturity a dingy green, semi-fluid mass, intensely sweet 

 to the taste, and, from the ordinary human standpoint. 



