CLASSIFICATION OF MUSHROOMS 



15 



from blowing the spores away. If the spores should be colored, white paper 

 should be used. If the specimen is left too long the spore deposit will continue 

 upward between the gills and it may reach an eighth of an inch in height, in 

 which case if great care is taken in removing the cap there will be a perfect like- 

 ness of the gills and also the color of the spores. 



There are two ways of making these spore prints quite permanent. First 

 take a piece of thin rice paper, muscilage it and allow it to dry, then proceed as 

 above. In this way the print will stand handling quite a little. Another way, 

 and that used to prepare the spore-prints in these photographs, is to obtain the 

 spore-print upon Japanese paper as in the preceding method, then by an atomizer 

 spray the print gently and carefully with a fixative such as is used in fixing 

 charcoal drawings. Success in 

 making spore-prints requires both 

 time and care, but the satisfaction 

 they give is ample recompense for 

 the trouble. Is is more difficult to 

 obtain good prints from the white- 

 spored mushrooms than from those 

 bearing colored spores, because it 

 is hard to obtain a black paper 

 having a dull velvety surface, and 

 the spores will not adhere well to 

 a smooth-finished, glossy paper. 

 For the prints illustrated I am in- 

 debted to Mrs. Blackford. 



If the plant is dry it is well to 

 moisten the fingerbowl or bell- 

 glass on the inside before placing 

 it over the mushroom. The spores 

 of Boleti, and, indeed, all fungi 

 can be caught and fixed in the 

 same way. 



From the study of these spore- 

 prints we shall find five different colors of spores. This family is, therefore, 

 divided into five series, determined by the color of the spores, which are always 

 constant in color, size and shape. 



The five series will be treated in the following order : 



i. The white-spored Agaric^. 



2. The rosy-spored Agarics. 



3: The rusty-spored Agarics. 



4. The purple-brown-spored Agarics. 



5. The black-spored Agarics. 



Figure 8. Spore-print of Hypholoma sublatertium. 



