Reproduction in the Mushroom Tribe. Btj W. G. Smith. 11 



bodies, exclusive of the spores. In a large jMusbroom the cells 

 would number hundreds of billions. Still more wonderful is the 

 fact that each individual cell is furnished with a spark of life, 

 contains water, protoplasm, and other material, and is capable of 

 growth and assimilation. 



The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate something of the life 

 history of the minute but truly wonderful fungus now before Us ; 

 and with this object in view it is not only necessary to use the 

 higher powers of the microscope, but to patiently watch the fungus 

 and its changes at every hour (almost minute) of the night and day 

 and for several days in succession. 



In the vertical section of one of the minute gills, as shown in 

 Fig. 3, magnified 150 diameters, the whole fruiting and reproduc- 

 tive surface of the fungus is seen at a glance. The nature of the 

 furrows in the pileus (E) is now perfectly clear, every cell being 

 seen in position, and the remnants of the universal veil or wrapper 

 are seen on the surface of pileus at S. Studded amongst the cells 

 of the upper stratum of cap may be seen various brilliant crystals 

 which belong to the ammonio-phosphate of magnesia, and which 

 crystals are taken up by the fungus from the manure on which it 

 grows. Many dung-borne Agarics are covered with so-called 

 micaceous particles, which, in many instances, doubtlessly arise 

 from the manure which supports the fungus. It is a matter of 

 considerable difficulty to get a section like this, for if attempted 

 clumsily no result will follow Ijeyond a slight discoloration of the 

 edge of the lancet ; it is necessary to take the slice at the exact 

 moment of maturity, and even then it requires the perfection of 

 dexterity to cut the fungus properly, as the plant is sticky in all its 

 parts. A fragment of the fruiting surface of a gill is shown at T. 



To understand the vital phenomena of C. radiatus it is neces- 

 sary to comprehend the meaning of the bodies seen in Figs. 3 

 and 4. The whole fungus is built up of cells, which run parallel 

 with each other (and at maturity are very long) in the stem 

 (Fig. 2), and which spread laterally, and then become more or less 

 spherical in the pileus. When these cells reach the gills or fruit- 

 bearing surface (hymenium, U U), a certain differentiation takes 

 place in their functions. The majority of the cells remain simple, 

 but certain other cells which are spread over the gills with the 

 greatest regularity assume a different nature, and produce spores. 

 These cells are called basidia (meaning small pedestals, V V, Figs. 

 3 and 4), and the spores, or analogues of ovules or seeds, basidio- 

 spores, because they are carried on these little pedestals. The 

 minute threads between the spores and their pedestals are termed 

 spicules or sterigmata (literally props). Certain other privileged 

 cells (WW, Fig. 3) are tenned cystidia, (bladders), and around 

 these latter organs and their meaning the principal interest of the 



