59 



THE FUNCTION OF TOADSTOOLS IN NATURE. 



By. W.A. McCubbin, M.A. Ottawa. 



In the middle ages, when there was not the help to minute and extend- 

 ed observation enjoyed by the present period of microscopes, toadstools, 

 mushrooms and all their kind w^hich we now designate collectively fun- 

 gi bore a very doubtful and even sinister reputation. No doubt the poison- 

 ous properties of several of them had a great deal to do with their evil 

 repute, and even to this day the whole class suffers more or less from the 

 prejudices aroused by these few. For the most part ho^vever they were re- 

 garded with suspicion because of the mystery which surrounded their ha- 

 bits of life. Their sudden appearance and rapid growth, together with 

 the absence of seeds ( for their spores were quite disregarded ) gave rea- 

 son for distrust among people to whom the unknown w^as always regard- 

 ed w^ith exaggerated suspicion. Evidence of their place in popular esti- 

 mation at that time comes down to us indirectly in some of the medicaJl 

 prescriptions of the day. When one recalls that the virtue of a m.edicine 

 was then estimated almost in direct proportion to its disagreeable qual- 

 ities, there can be no doubt as to the popular attitude tow^ards the toad- 

 stool family, since they are mentioned as ingredients of those extraordi- 

 nary medicines, along with ashes of w^orms, roasted spiders and other 

 such unenticing morsels. 



At the present day we have lost the greater part of our dislike for 

 these lowly plants and are disposed to regard them without particular 

 aversion, considering them harmless for the most part, but quite useless 

 to the world. Our attitude in general is that if they were all suddenly 

 annihilated we would be neither worse nor better off. A close study 

 of these very interesting organisms, however, discloses the fact that they 

 play a very important part in nature's economy and are quite as nec- 

 essary to the carrying out of her grand schem.e as the larger and m.ore 

 imposing plants. 



The first striking fact that meet the attention of the person who 

 studies the toadstool family more in detail is that the part of the fun- 

 gus usually seen, whether it be in the case of morel, puffball, toadstool, 

 shelf-fimgus or mushroom, is not the most important part of the plant. 

 Before this visible part can be produced the fungus gro-v\'S for a long time 

 in the ground, in the rotton log or stump, in the fallen branch, or in 

 the leaves and vegetable matter of the forest soil. Throughout these sub- 

 stances the fungus penetrates in long slender filam.ents which cross and 

 -weave about in the search of food, much as do the roots of trees. This un- 

 der-ground growth proceeds until the whole mass of the substratum be- 

 comes interlaced -with its fine delicate threads. So universal is this hafcit 

 of growth that there is scarcely an inch of leafy mold or decaying wood 

 free from one or more kinds of fungus filaments. In this condition the 

 fungus may exist for years or months without ever sending up the spore- 

 bearing part with which we are more familiar, or giving any external 

 sign of its presence.. 



