10* FUNGI. 



Dr. Klotzscli writes thus : — *' The method I adopt by which 

 the Agarics and Boleti may have their characters preserved and 

 be fit for examination in the Herbarium, is as follows : 



" With a delicate scymetar-shaped knife, or scalpel, such as is 

 found in a surgeon's instrument-case, I make a double vertical 

 section, through the middle, from the top of the pileus to the 

 base of the stipes, so as to remove a slice. This, it will be at 

 once seen, shows the vertical outline of the whole Fungus, the 

 internal nature of its stipes, whether hollow, or spongy, or solid, 

 the thickness of tlie pileus and the peculiarities of the gills, 

 v^'hether equal or unequal in length, decurrent upon the stipes 

 or otherwise, &c. There will then remain the two sides or 

 (nearly) halves of the Fungus, which each in itself gives a 

 correct idea, if I may so express myself, of the whole circum- 

 ference of the plant. But before we proceed to dry them, it is 

 necessary to separate the stipes from the pileus, and from the 

 latter to scrape out the fleshy lamellcp, or gills* if it be an Agaric, 

 or the tubes of the Boletus, We have thus the Fungus divided 

 into five portions ; a central thin slice, two (nearly) halves of 

 the stipes and the same sections of the pileus ;— these, after 

 being a little exposed to the air that they may part with some 

 of their moisture, but not so long that they shrivel, are to be 

 placed between dry blotting paper and subjected to pressure as 

 other plants ; the papers being changed daily till the specimens 

 are perfectly dry. When this is the case, the central portion 

 or slice, and the two halves of the stipes, are to be fastened 

 upon white paper, together with the respective halves of the 

 pileus upon the top of the latter, in their original position. 

 Here will thus be three sections, from which a correct idea of 

 the whole plant may be obtained. The voha and annulus of 

 such species as possess them, must be retained. 



" With care, even the most fugacious species, such as Agaricus 

 fimetarius, ovutus, &c , may be very well preserved, according 

 to tliis method. 



" Some of the smaller and less fleshy kinds will not require to 

 have their lamelJie removed, such as Agaricus filopes, supinvs, 

 gakriculatus, &c. In collecting fleshy Fungi, care must be 

 taken that they are not too old and absolutely in a state of 

 decomposition, or too much infested with the larvae of insects. 

 When this latter is the case, some oil of turpentine poured over 

 them will either drive them rapidly from their holes or destroy 

 them. Species, with a clammy viscid pileus, it is better to 

 expose to a dry air or the heat of a fire, before being placed in 

 papers. 



* Where the flesh is at all thick, it is requisite to cut out carefully the greater 

 part of that also, and in large fungi to reduce the thickness of the stem. 



