INFLUENCES AND EFFECTS. 



IT is no longer doubted that fungi exercise a large and very 

 important influence in the economy of nature. It may be that 

 in some directions these influences are exaggerated ; but it is 

 certain that on the whole their influence is far more important 

 for evil and for good than that of any other of the Cryptogamia. 

 In our endeavour to estimate the character and extent of these 

 influences it will prove advantageous to examine them under 

 three sections. 1. Their influence on man. 2. Their influence 

 on lower animals. 3. Their influence on vegetation. Under 

 these sections the chief facts may be grouped, and some approxi- 

 mate idea obtained of the very great importance of this family of 

 inferior plants, and consequently the advisability of pursuing 

 their study more thoroughly and nationally than has hitherto 

 been done. 



I. In estimating the influence of fungi upon man, we naturally 

 enough seek in the first instance to know what baneful effects 

 they are capable of producing on food. Although in the case. of 

 ** poisonous fungi," popularly understood, fungi may be the 

 passive agents, yet they cannot be ignored in an inquiry of this 

 nature. Writing of the Uses of Fungi, we have already shown 

 that a large number are available for food, and some of these 

 real delicacies ; so, on the other hand, it becomes imperative, 

 even with stronger emphasis, to declare that many are poisonous, 

 and some of them virulently so. It is not suflicient to say that 

 they are perfectly harmless until voluntarily introduced into the 

 human system, whilst it is well known that accidents are always 



