b A PLAIN AND EASY ACCOUNT 



pumpkin during the night ; and Dr. Lindley has 

 computed that the cells of which its structure is com- 

 posed have multiplied at the extraordinary rate of sixty 

 millions in a minute. Dr. Greville mentions an instance 

 of one of the largest of our British fungi (Polyporus 

 squamosus) attaining a circumference of seven feet five 

 inches, and weighing thirty-four pounds, after having 

 been cut four days. It was only four weeks in attaining 

 to these dimensions, thus acquiring an increase of 

 growth equal to nineteen ounces per day. During 

 the past summer we noticed an individual of this 

 same species which reached a diameter of eleven 

 inches within the short space of a week. Blue-mould 

 is also rapid in its growth, although the plant indivi- 

 dually is small, and a meadow or pasture which in the 

 evening exhibited no prominent signs of mushrooms, 

 may in the morning yield a good basket-full. The 

 popular notion, current in some agricultural districts, 

 that fungi melt away when the sun shines upon them, 

 sends the mushroom-gatherer to seek them 



" When the grass is wet with dew, 

 lu the morning early." 



Dr. Carpenter relates an instance of the expansive 

 power resulting from the rapid growth of the soft 

 cellular tissue of fungi which seems marvellous. Some 

 years ago the town of Basingstoke was paved ; and not 

 many months afterwards the pavement was observed to 

 exhibit an unevenness which could not easily be ac- 

 counted for. In a short time after, the mystery was 

 explained, for some of the heaviest stones were com- 



