338 



RESEARCHES ON FUNGI 



maturity in a series of successive generations was proved not merely 

 by inference from such studies as have been recorded in the drawings 

 of Fig. 118, but also by direct observation. A fruit-body, which 

 had not long expanded its pileus and was in the earliest phase of its 



B 



FIG. 121. Stropharia semiglobata. Transverse sections through a gill showing 

 the hymenium and subhymenium. A, about a day after the beginning of 

 spore-discharge ; a a, past-generation basidia ; b b, present -generation basidia ; 

 c c, coming-generation basidia ; e e, paraphyses ; /, a cystidium ; the present - 

 generation basidium farthest to the left has just discharged one spore and is 

 about to discharge another spore the hilum of which has just excreted a water- 

 drop. B, from an exhausted gill at the end of the spore-discharge period ; 

 a a, past-generation basidia ; e e, paraphyses ; /, a cystidium ; g, an aborted 

 basidium which has become much swollen, but which has not produced any 

 Magnification, 588. 



spore-discharge period, was obtained from a pasture. Straightway 

 one of its gills was dissected off the pileus and placed flat in a com- 

 pressor cell, and a little water was made to pass between the lower 

 hy menial surface and the glass base of the apparatus. Another 

 drop of water of small size was then placed on the glass base in a 

 position where it could not touch the gill, and the preparation was 

 completed by capping the compressor cell with its lid. On examin- 

 ing the preparation with the low power of the microscope, it was 

 found that the upper hymenium of the gill afforded an admirable 



