THE BEAM-OF-LIGHT METHOD 101 



for a student to realise that millions of spores are falling each 

 hour from a ripe Mushroom before his or her very eyes, and yet 

 unseen. A single demonstration of the kind that I have described 

 is likely to impress the fact indelibly on the memory. The demon- 

 stration can be carried out on any day in the year, even in the 

 depth of winter. Subsequently, it will be shown that there are 

 many species belonging to the genera Lenzites, Polystictus, &c., 

 which can be kept dry in bottles for months or even years, and 

 which yet shed spores again for days after they have been revived 

 by being placed for about six hours under moist conditions. A 

 stock of such fruit-bodies may be kept in the laboratory, and 

 revived at any time with great ease and certainty by placing wet 

 cotton-wool on the pilei. Instead of a strong artificial beam of 

 light, sunlight, let through a slit in a dark room, is equally effective 

 for the purpose of illumination. 



