SIXTY YEAES OF BRITISH MYCOLOGY. 439 



and afterwards — 



1860 Berkeley's Outlmes of Fungology ••• 1450 

 1871 Cooke's Handbook 2810 



It is only by comparison of statistics that we can realize the 

 progress which has been made in sixty years. From investigations 

 made about two years ago it became manifest that the total number 

 of species of Fungi recorded for the British Islands had advanced 

 from the 1390 of 1836 to no less than 5200 in 1896, or nearly four 

 times the original number. In the previous fifty years the total 

 had only advanced from 555 in 1796 to 1390 in 1836. Hence the 

 increase in the number of recorded species was nearly double the 

 ratio of increase in the preceding half century. 



This fact leads us to a second enquiry and that is, to ascertain 

 in what section of that particular study was the increase the most 

 remarkable. By comparison of the same authorities we can learn 

 that the number of species of larger fungi, determinable by the 

 naked eye, principally the Basidiomycetes, were recorded in 1836 

 as about 570 species, whereas in 1896 the same group was repre- 

 sented by 2030 species. 



Passing from the Hymenomycetal Fungi, and all or almost all 

 those of conspicuous size, we must turn to those which require the 

 use of the microscope for their discrimination and determination. 

 Here it would be well to distinguish two or three large groups as a 

 sample of the whole. If we take the Discomycetes, or fungi of the 

 Peziza type, we find some of them of a large size, but the majority 

 are very minute and scarcely visible to the naked eye. If we take 

 for comparison the list of species from Berkeley's Suppleuiejit we 

 shall find that 154 species were recognized in 1836, whilst Mr. 

 Phillips enumerated 607 in 1887, or just four times as many in fifty 

 years. This marvellous increase in the number of known species 

 must be attributed partly to the increased number of observers, 

 partly to the energy and application of a limited number of workers, 

 and partly to the improved condition of the microscope and the 

 methods of microscopical manipulation. Any way it represents an 

 important fact in the history of British mycology in the past^ sixty 

 years. 



Another important group are the Sphaeriaceous Fungi, or 

 technically the Pyrenomycetes, but it would be a question of time 

 to analyze the lists of 1836 and compare them with those of 1896. 

 We may suggest that whilst the whole of the microscopical fungi, 

 except the Discomycetes, which were enumerated in 1836, was only 

 665, the number in 1896 had risen to 2550. 



One other group need be only briefly alluded to, and that is the 

 group which contains the pests which infest garden and field crops. 

 Some call them the Hypodermsei, but they are popularly the 

 '* Rusts " and " Smuts" so destructive to vegetation. A difference 

 in the methods of classification would interfere with a satisfactory 

 comparison of numbers at remote periods, but it may be taken for 

 granted that in this department also important numerical results 

 have been obtained in sixty years. 



