PREFACE IX 



he expresses his gratitude to the many mycologic friends who have assisted 

 him by granting permission to use illustrations from their publications. 

 To the management of Mycologia especial thanks are due for their blanket 

 permission to use illustrations from that indispensable periodical. To 

 M. B. Walton, of Cleveland, Ohio, the author's thanks are due for the 

 generous gift of prints of some of his wonderfully fine photographs of fungi. 

 To his wife, especially, the author owes thanks for the continued 

 stimulus to persist in the arduous work of preparing this new book, for 

 writing the manuscript, for assistance in reading proof, and for attending 

 to the many other tiring details that go into the making of a book. 



Ernst A. Bessey 



Distinguished Professor of Botany, retired 



Michigan State College 

 East Lansing, Michigan 

 Jiine 1950. 



