CHAPTER V 



SPORE-DEPOSITS— THE NUMBER OF SPORES 



Although the spores of Hymenomycetes under ordinary circum- 

 stances are too small to be seen individually with the naked eye, 

 yet, when collected together in large numbers, they can readily 

 be recognised in the form of a powder. In order to obtain a 

 spore-deposit of this nature, one simply takes a pileus, from which 



Fig. 31. — Spore-deposit produced in about twenty hours from a pileus of 

 Lepiota rachodes. (The central parts of some of the gills were in contact 

 with the paper: hence slight disturbances to the regularity of the 

 deposit.) Natural size. 



the stipe has been removed, and places it upon a sheet of paper. 

 On this the falling spores rapidly accumulate. Owing to their 

 pronounced adhesiveness, they cling to one another and to any sur- 

 face with which they come into contact with considerable tenacity. 

 Spore-deposits cannot therefore be shaken off paper or glass upon 

 which they have been collected. 



