CHAPTER II 



MYCELIUM 



In such an imineiise group as the present, incUiding ahnost an 

 infinite variety of form, it is extremely difficult to generalise, 

 even the morphology, beyond that of the mycelium, which re- 

 presents the vegetative system, the carpophore, which supports 

 the fructification, and, finally, the fructification itself, with the 

 organs associated therewith. This, in fact, reduces the whole 

 scheme of structure to its lowest terms, that of the vegetative 

 system and the reproductive, since the carpophore is but a 

 development of the vegetative, and a link between that and the 

 fructification which it is intended ultimately to bear. The 

 details of the varied modifications, which are to accomplish the 

 two purposes of growth and rejuvenescence, can only be de- 

 scribed under the great primary divisions of Fungi, where 

 both vegetation and reproduction conform to some definite 

 type. As a whole, the organisms which are associated to- 

 gether under the common denomination of Fungi are the most 

 protean and polymorphic in the entire vegetable kingdom, 

 and present great difficulties in the way of generalisation. 



If we gather a mushroom from a mushroom bed, as usually 

 cultivated, we shall discover, if we remove it carefully, that 

 the stem, which represents in this instance the carpophore, or 

 fruit-bearer, is attached to the soil by a mass of delicate white 

 hyphae, or threads, which are the mycelium, or spawn. And 

 if we remove the soil anywhere, we shall find that it is per- 

 meated in all directions with these white threads. The 

 artificial "bricks," or spawn, which were employed in the 

 construction of the bed, consisted of this mycelium in a 

 quiescent condition, and by supplying sufficient moisture and 



