ORDER FUNGI. 275 



which is considered as a kind of calyx. As the mushroom be- 

 comes older, the volva bursts and remains upon the stipe, while 

 the pileus, released from its confinement, extends upwards, and 

 exhibits an uneven appearance upon its edge, caused by its 

 Fig. 132. separation from the 



volva. Fig. 132 

 represents the most 

 important parts of 

 the mushroom ; a, 

 the gills running 

 from the stipe to the 

 circumference, un- 

 der the pileus. ft, a 

 young mushroom, 

 with the pileus of a 

 globular form, and 

 not separated from the volva. c, the volva or wrapper, burst- 

 ing and separating from the pileus so as to exhibit the gills 

 beneath, d, part of the volva remaining upon the stipe in a 

 circular form, and called annulus or ring. 



" If the mushroom be left for a time on a plate of glass, a 

 powder will be found deposited ; this is the seed or organic 

 germ. That these are capable of germination is evident tti 

 cultivators, who now form mushroom beds, by strewing the 

 decayed plants on prepared beds of manure."* 



A species of the genus Agaricus, is common in Italy, and 

 much valued for food ; it is of a fine red and orange colour ; 

 the ancient Romans esteemed it as a great luxury. The genus 

 Boletus contains the touchwood or spunk, which is sometimes 

 used as tinder. The LYCOPERDON contains the puff-balL 



It is not to be expected that you will go into a minute inves- 

 tigation of the Cryptogamous plants ; they are probably the 

 least understood of all the visible works of nature. Philoso- 

 phers have asserted that some of this race do not belong to the 

 vegetable, but to the animal kingdom ; having discovered in- 

 sects in mushrooms, they say that like the sponge and the co- 

 rals, these should be classed among animal productions. Few, 

 however, at present, entertain this belief; and the fact of their 

 having been raised from seed sprinkled on the earth, proves 

 them to be of vegetable growth. A curious field of inquiry 

 presents itself in the consideration of the difference between 

 animal and vegetable life. This we shall hereafter partially 



*NuttaU. 



Explain Fig. 132 Mushrooms capable of germination Different genera 

 Opinions of some philosophers respecting the Cryptogamous plants. 



