S U M M A R Y. 



HE writer always had the conviction that all species of toadstools 

 produced spores capable of germination. She had brought year 

 after year, many mature specimens and not least of the beautifully 

 coloured ones, into her garden, thinking that by sowing them 

 in this manner, she would cultivate a little toadstool-paradise in it. 



Alas! in all these years not a single species has come up. She was very 

 curious to know if other people had succeeded better with their investigations, 

 and working at that time at the Phytopathological Laboratory „ Willie Commelin 

 Scholten" at Amsterdam, which has a large library, she looked up the literature 

 on the point. 



The earliest paper which gives something of interest as to this, was that 

 of Hoffmann (Ueber Pilzkeimungen 1859), the most extensive investigations are 

 those of O. Brefeld („Bot. üntersuch. über Schimmelpilze" and „Untersuch. 

 aus dem gesammt Geb. der Mykologie"). 



The conclusion of all the writers was that toadstools, which grow on trees, 

 produce spores which germinate, but that in the case of all the species which 

 grow in the earth, spore-germination does not take place. 



After having consulted all her colleagues the writer resolved to make an 

 extensive investigation on this point. During the space of two years she has 

 examined the spore-germination in the „moist charaber" of 167 different species 

 of toadstools. 



Different nutriënt liquids were tried of which that of boiled plum-juice was 

 the most satisf actory ; many species indeed germinated their spores in pure water. 

 The best results were obtained with a temperature of 15 — 20" C. and when 

 day-light was shut out. 



The results of these investigations were, that from the 62 species of wood- 

 toadstool, 45 germinated, that is 71%, and that from the 105 species of earth- 

 toadstool, only 15, that is 14%, germinated. The names of these are given on 

 page 7. 



Some success was obtained with the spores of ,^Amanita mappa" (fig. 3) 

 sown in a liquid made from leaves and earth boiled in water. The investigation 

 with this cultural-Iiquid is not yet concluded. 



