234 STUDIES OF AMERICAN FUNGI. 



or strangled by its own fallen members. Were it not for the action 

 of the mushroom mycelium in causing the decay of fallen timber in 

 the forest, in time it would be piled so high as to allow only a 

 miserable existence to a few choked individuals. The action of the 

 mushrooms in thus disposing of the fallen timber in the forests, and 

 in converting dead trees and fallen leaves into available food for the 

 living ones, is probably the most important role in the existence of 

 these plants. Mushrooms, then, are to be given very high rank 

 among the natural agencies which have contributed to the good of 

 the world. When we contemplate the vast areas of forest in the 

 world we can gain some idea of the stupendous work performed by 

 the mushrooms in "house cleaning," and in "preparing food," 

 work in which they are still engaged. 



FUNGI IN THE ARTS. 



A number of different species of mushrooms have been employed 

 in the manufacture of useful articles. Their use for such purposes, 

 however, was more common in the past than at present, and it is 

 largely therefore a matter of interest at the present time, though 

 some are still employed for purposes of this kind. 



Tinder mushroom, or amadou. The Polyporus fomentarius, or 

 " tinder mushroom " or, as it is sometimes called, " German tinder," 

 was once employed in the manufacture of tinder. The outer hard 

 coat was removed and the central portion, consisting almost entirely 

 of the tube system of several years' growth, was cut into strips and 

 beaten to a soft condition. In this form it was used as tinder for 

 striking fire. 



The inner portion was also used in making caps, chest-protectors, 

 and similar articles. A process now in vogue in some parts of 

 Germany, is to steam the fruit bodies, remove the outer crust, and 

 then, by machinery constructed for the purpose, shave the fruit 

 body into a long, thin strip by revolving it against a knife in much 

 the same way that certain woods are shaved into thin strips for the 

 manufacture of baskets, plates, etc. Some articles of clothing made 

 from this fungus material are worn by peasants in certain parts of 

 Europe. 



Mushrooms for razor strops The beech polyporus (P. betulinus) 



several centuries ago was used for razor strops. The fruit body 

 after being dried was cut into strips, glued upon a stretcher, and 

 smoothed down with pumice stone (Asa Gray Bull. 7: i8, 1900). 

 The sheets of the weeping merulius (see Fig. 189) were also em- 

 ployed for the same purpose, as were also the sheets of " punk " 



