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in our own meadows. Secondly, moles, even when they make tracks, do not 

 kill the grasses ; but, on the contrary, make such grasses grow more luxuriantly. 

 Thirdly, fresh upturned soil is not favourable to the growth of fungi, but on 

 the contrary these seem to be favoured by the presence of decaying matter, 

 and our May mushroom especially is nourished by the roots of dead and de- 

 caying grasses. The quantity of phosphoric acid and potash in both grass and 

 fungus will show that the one is fed on the elements of the other, and the use 

 of phosphatic manures has tended to the growth of the common mushroom 

 even in our arable fields. 



Seeing then that so much has been said and written on the subject of 

 Fairy-rings which is not deemed conclusive as explaining the phenomena con- 

 nected with them, the question may be asked, is there a better solution at hand 

 or is there anything to add in elucidating what has already been advanced ? 

 Now, without presuming to lay claim to the first position, we may yet endeavour 

 to add to observed facts, and we shall, therefore, devote a second part to an 

 account of our own observations and conclusions upon this interesting subject. 



PART H. — HOME OBSERVATIONS. 



As we have examples of different kinds of Fairy Eings in our home 

 meadow we commence this part with a description of them. In a survey 

 of the Kings of this field, made in 1869, we constructed a chart of more than 

 thirty rings, these being more or less perfect in outline and variable in size. 

 At the present moment, however, we cannot make out more than half of the 

 number of the previous year, but many of these possess a most perfect outline, 

 but the rest appear as though broken up into irregular masses, lines, or patches 

 of green. Six of the most perfect rings in the meadow may be shortly described 

 as follows : — 



1. A double ring, 27ft. diameter. The roots of the decaying grasses and 

 the surrounding mould being highly charged with the mycelium of Agaricus 

 ganibosus, from which, in May of last year, we had several meals of delicious 

 mushrooms. 



2. A double ring, 15ft. Gin. diameter. In this, too, the outer ring is charged 

 with mycelium — in this case of the Ag. oreades, from which, last September, we 

 enjoyed the " Champignons." From both these we expect crops of fungi this 

 year, though they will be late on account of the backward season. 



3. A single ring, 21ft. diameter. This was*partially occupied by Ag. 

 personatus, three years since. 



4. A single ring, 21ft. diameter. 



5. The like, 15ft. ditto. 



6. The like, 15ft. 6in. ditto. 



Of these the three last have not been observed to contain fungi, nor can 

 *ny mycelium be traced. 



