REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST IQII 37 



REMARKS AND OBSERVATIONS 



Agaricus arvensis Schaeff. 

 This fine large mushroom was found by F. H. Ames growing 

 in the arc of a circle about 15 feet in diameter. Long Island. 

 September. Several species occasionally grow in this manner. The 

 fairy ring mushroom frequently does. 



Agaricus subrufescens Pk. 



This rare species in our State was found by Mrs R, C. Burnham 

 near Vaughns in August. Its pileus w^as more distinctly squamose 

 than usual. The scales were larger and more conspicuous and the 

 young lamellae were whitish and those of the ntature plants were 

 brown. No intervening pink colored lamellae were seen. 



Andropogon furcatus Muhl. 



A glaucous form of this grass occurs in sandy soil near Karner. 

 August. 



Calvatia gigantea (Batsch) 



The giant puff ball is the largest species known. It is not unusual 

 for it to attain a diameter of 12-14 inches. It is also one of the very 

 best of our esculent species. It has long been knowii to be edible 

 so long as its flesh is pure white and it has never been known to 

 prove, so far as I am informed, injurious to anyone eating it in 

 reasonable quantity and at reasonable times. The vmfortunate 

 thing about it is that it is not common nor of long continuance. It 

 occurs mostly in the month of September only and in limited stations 

 widely separated from each other and generally in limited number 

 in any station. On the farm of one of our correspondents, Mr A. P. 

 Hitchcock, New Lebanon, is a station in which a few specimens 

 have appeared annually for several years. 



On the first day of September three or four young plants had 

 made their appearance. These w'ere in close proximity to each 

 other. On September 6th two more had appeared. Two were 

 selected for observation and numbered respectively i and 2. The 

 following is the record of the development of these two as made 

 by Mr Hitchcock. 



