66 SEAVER: STUDIES IN PYROPHILOUS FUNGI 
states: “Es wirt angegeben dass Pyronema auf Brandstellen 
haufig vorkomme. Haufig kann aber wohl der Pilz nicht sein, 
da ich ihn bisher nur ein einziges Mal—bei Eberswalde—im Freien 
fand. So oft ich sonst sowohl bei Freiburg wie bei Berlin solche 
Stellen absuchte, hatte ich keinen Erfolg.’’ 
While ncthing can be said here as to the occurrence of the 
fungus in Europe, the fact remains that it is fairly common in 
America so far as our knowledge goes. Of course its occurrence 
in nature depends upon the presence of recently burned areas 
accompanied by a reasonable amount of precipitation. Given 
these conditions, and the fungusis common. It has been collected 
by the writer in Indiana, Iowa, New York, and North Dakota 
and has been frequently reported by collectors from other states. 
If it should happen that the fungus is not common in a given 
locality, or as is more likely to be the case, has never been recog- 
nized, it has been shown in previous papers that the fungus is 
easily cultivated in the laboratory; and now having proved the 
long viability of the spores which enables the plant to be carried 
over for an indefinite length of time in the laboratory, there is no 
longer any reason for considering Pyronema an uncommon fungus. 
If the fungus is worth knowing from a morphological point of 
view it is also worth seeing. 
DIRECTIONS FOR CULTIVATION AND PRESERVATION OF THE SPORES 
Heat good rich, unfertilized, garden soil by placing it in pots 
or other receptacle. The heating can be accomplished by steam 
or dry heat in an autoclave or sterilizing oven. If dry heat is used 
run the temperature up to 150°-170° C. If neither autoclave 
nor sterilizing oven is available, bake in an ordinary oven for an 
hour or more at ordinary baking temperature. Cool and water 
with tap water. Plant the spores and place the pot under a bell 
jar. Growth of mycelium should be abundant in two or three 
days at room temperature: sex organs should appear in about a 
week and mature ascocarps a few days later. 
When through with the study of plants, scrape off the old 
ascocarps together with a little dirt, place them in an envelope 
and keep dry until they are desired for study the next year, then 
prepare substratum and plant as before. 
NEw York BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
