1% 



throwing light upon their peculiar growth, and I was favoured with an excellent 

 opportunity of making this examination from several magnificent rings growing 

 on the pasture land surrounding the Agricultural College. Now we have reason 

 to know these rings as they afforded us many a meal of most delicious mush- 

 rooms, and always about the first or second week in May, and we ascertained 

 them to be the true St. George's mushroom, Agaricus gambosus.'" 



It was this species then which was analysed by Professor "Way, and we here 

 give ash analyses of the fungus, and also of the grass from some of the fairy 

 rings : — 



ASH ANALYSES BT J. T. WAY, ESQ. 



Silica 



Lime 



Magnesia 



Peroxide of iron ... 

 Phosphoric acid ... 

 Sulphuric acid 

 Carbonic acid 



Potash 



Soda 



Chloride of Sodium 



98.69 97.42 



On the foregoing analysis the Professor remarks : " I think we may 

 clearly explain the whole growth of the Fairy-rings. A fungus is developed on 

 a Bingle spot of ground, sheds its seed, and dies. On the spot where it grew 

 it leaves a valuable manuring of phosphoric acid and alkalies, some magnesia, 

 and a little sulphate of lime. Another fungus might undoubtedly grow on 

 the same spot again, but on the death of the first the ground becomes occupied 

 by a vigorous crop of grass, rising like a Phoenix on the ashes of its predecessor." 

 If the grass shared the fate of the fungus again withering and dying on the land 

 its growth might continue, the circle might increase and remain as before 

 supposed, in the shape of a disc ; but in fact this does not occur — the grass is 

 either eaten off by cattle or taken away in the form of hay and with it is removed 

 the greater part of the inorganic materials which the fungus had collected," 

 Berkeley, in his "Outlines of British Fungology," has adopted somewhat the 

 same views, for, in speaking of Fairy-rings, he says, " These rings are sometimes 

 of very ancient date, and attain enormous dimensions,* so as to be distinctly 

 visible on a hill side from a considerable distance. It is believed that they 

 originate from a single Fungus, whose growth renders the soil immediately be- 

 neath unfit for its reproduction. The spawn, however, spreads all round, and 

 * We have seen some oh Salisbury Plain nearly 30 yards indiameter.— J. B. 



