444 NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



up one or two mushrooms, being sure to get the " roots," 

 and bring them to school for the next nature-study period. 

 Look over the specimens and place the amanitas by 

 themselves. Then have the class sort the others into piles 

 according to their characteristic forms and structures, put- 

 ting the puffballs, the gill-bearing kinds, all having tubes, 



FIG. 179. THE DEADLY AMANITA 



The gills ; a button just pushing out of the cup ; a mushroom showing cap, or 

 pileus, stem, and cup, or volva at base of stem 



and those with fine pores underneath, and such as present 

 branching forms, the Clavarias, each in a pile by itself. We 

 thus see that there are marked and interesting differences 

 in form and structure. 



To understand the growth of these strange plants have 

 some of the children carefully wash the earth away from 



