250 



SYMBIOSIS OF PHANEROGAMS AND FUNGI. 



dissolved in that water, are caused liy the mycelial mantle to pass from the 

 surrounding- ground into the epidermal cells of the root in question, and thence 

 onward, ascending into axis, branches, and foliage. 



Thus the fungus-mycelium not only inflicts no injury on the green-leaved plant 

 by entering into connection with its roots, but confers a positive benefit, and it is 

 even questionable whether a number of green-leaved plants could flourish at all 

 without the assistance of mycelia. The experience gained in the cultivation of 

 those trees, shrubs, and herbs, which exhibit mycelial mantles on their roots, does 

 not, at any rate, lead to that conclusion. Every gardener knows that attempts to 

 rear the various species of winter-green, the bog-whortleberry, broom, heath, 

 bilberries, cranberries, rhododendrons, the spurge-laurel, and even the silver-fir and 



»■ 1 \ 



Fig. 69. 



1 Roots of the White Poplar with mycelial mantle. 2 Tip of a root of the Beech with closely adherent mycelial mantle: xlOO 

 (after Frank). 3 Section through a piece of root of the White Poplar with the mycelium entering into the external cells; 

 X4S0. 



the beech, in ordinary garden soil are not attended with imiform success. Therefore, 

 as is well known, soil consisting of vegetable mould from the top layer of earth in 

 woods or on heath is chosen for the cultivation of species of the genera Erica, 

 Daphne, and Rhododendron. But it is not even every kind of forest- or heath- 

 mould that can be made use of. When earth of that nature has been quite dry for 

 a long time it is no longer fit for this purpose. On the other hand, it is known that 

 the above-mentioned plants should be transplanted from their forest-home with the 

 soil still clinging to the roots, and it is also laid down as an axiom that the roots of 

 these plants should not be exposed and should be cut as little as possible. The 

 following reasons account for all this. Firstly, fresh earth from a heath, or mould 

 recently dug from the ground in a wood, contains the mycelia still alive, whereas in 

 dry humus they are already dead; secondly, the mycelia woven round the roots are 

 transferred together with the balls of earthy matter suspended to them into the 

 garden; and, lastly, any considerable clipping of the roots would remove the 

 ultimate ramifications which are furnished with the absorbent mycelial mantle. 



The f ailui'e of all attempts to propagate the oak, the beech, heath, rhododendron, 

 winter-green, broom, or spurge-laurel, by slips or cuttings, if the shoot which is cut 



