236 FAIRY RINGS. [August, 



kind acceptance of this my last work in this kind of physick. 

 The Lord bless and preserve you in all the ways of health and 

 happiness, and give you both inward and outward riches accord- 

 ing to your public spirits, for the honour of our God, King, 

 and Country. So prayeth your truly loving countryman and 

 ready servant^ Wm. Rowland." S. B. 



FAIEY EINGS. 



Some Observations on Fairy Rings, and the Agarics that produce 

 tliem. By George Jorden. 



Those circular green or brown marks observable in our old 

 pastures are usually called fairy rings, from a belief that they 

 were made by the fairies, imaginary beings, -in which our super- 

 stitious ancestors firmly believed. Our simple forefathers had no 

 knowledge of the mysteries of mycology, and they attributed 

 these and similar phenomena to supernatural agencies. They 

 were well acquainted with Agarics (Frogstools) , but they never 

 suspected that any members of the Mushroom family had any- 

 thing to do with the production of these appearances. There 

 are several species of Agarics that produce those green rings ; 

 the chief are Agaricus campestris, A. mnltifdus, A. arcades, A. 

 giganteus. As each species proceeds from a spore which has 

 fixed itself in a suitable locality, it sends out radiating fibres, 

 that probably have not sufficient strength to produce a pileus 

 (perfect Fungus) for several years, for much depends on the site 

 and meteorological influences. In this manner fairy rings are 

 formed, and will, if not interrupted, extend to a great distance. 



One ring of Agaricus giganteus I have observed in progression 

 for more than fifty years ; its myceline fibres advanced annually, 

 buL did not produce any pilei more than once during that time^ 

 and then only a few. 



When I first noticed this ring, it was about eight feet in dia- 

 meter, and it then had a number of pilei on its ring ; after- 

 wards it produced no pilei, but maintained its narrow green ring, 

 and also its inner ring of irregular dead patches, which this one 

 and Agaricus oreades only do. This however was an unfavour- 

 able situation, for the aspect was to the north, and the soil was 

 sandy and barren. 



