INJURIOUS AND OTHER FUNGI. 33 



is desired, a small piece is swallowed, and in the course of one or 

 two hours the drunkard is in his glory. This fungus has a peculiar 

 effect over muscular exertion. In his "Vegetable Kingdom," Dr. 

 Lindley tells us that a talkative person, under its influence, can- 

 not keep silence or secrets ; one fond of music is constantly sing- 

 ing, while he who wishes to step over a straw takes a stride suffi- 

 cient to clear the trunk of a tree. 



With us the Phallus i'm2?udicus is the most disagreeable species, 

 and commonly bears the not over-classic name of Stinkhorn. It 

 has a stalk five to eight inches in length, bearing at the top a small 

 cap, which, when young, is covered with a green slime. This soon 

 liquefies, and dropping oflT, covers the ground with an offensive 

 mass, to be eagerly sought for and devoured by carrion insects. 

 The top, when thus relieved of its green outer covering, exhibits a 

 honej'-combed surface, and exhales the most disgusting of odors. 

 Many stories are told of the encounters botanists and others have 

 had with this peculiar plant. A case is related of an enthusiastic 

 botanist, who, while on a tour, found some of these plants of unu- 

 sual size, and wishing to preserve them, placed them in his box ; 

 returning home by rail the}^ caused such discomfort to the inmates 

 of the car that every occupant left it with amazement and disgust 

 as soon as possible. 



Let us now turn our attention to some of those smaller members 

 of this assemblage of plants, which more truty deserve the name of 

 Destructive Fungi, and therefore fall more particularly within the 

 province of this lecture. 



The bread, cheese, and cake moulds, though belonging more 

 strictl}' to household economy, are not without their influence upon 

 the fruits of the horticulturist, and for this reason warrant a passing 

 mention here. They only grow upon organic matter after life has 

 become extinct, but in their growth they rapidly hasten decay, and 

 in this way often do serious damage to fruits and vegetables. An 

 explanation of the cake mould, Eurotium Aspergillus glaucus, will 

 answer for them all, though among these little plants great differ- 

 ences are to be observed. The general appearance of this little 

 blue inti-uder is so familiar to you that a description of it as seen 

 by the naked eye is unnecessary. Under the microscope, the little 

 specks resolve themselves into small heads of radiating cells. These 

 cells are formed one upon another from the filaments, and are 

 spores, but of that kind known as conidial or asexual spores. On 

 5 



