1896.] ESSAYS. 107 



One of my especial favorites comes ;unon<2; the white-spored divisiim. 

 It is the fairy-ring muslnooin, Marasmius oreades. Tt is found all the 

 summer through in open, grassy places ; you may lind it in all our 

 parks, and in many lawns, as well as in pastures which are not too 

 dry. lint you will not always lind it growing in an unl)r()ken geomet- 

 rical circle, although that is certainly the tendency and the rule in its 

 growth. Starting from a simgle plant, the mj'celium pushes out for 

 food ; when this food is consumed the fungus fails to grow ; therefore 

 the mushroom is only found on the outer edge of a circle, which will 

 be broken as a rule, because there was not everywhere a full supply of 

 decaying vegetation for food, and so the mycelium did not advance. 

 The most marked peculiarity is the rather tough texture of the surface, 

 like a kid glove. They are easily ke^yt after careful drying, and Avhen 

 moistened become soft again. 



In the same localities are sometimes found two other species of 

 Marasmius, which are much like the fairy-ring, but not very attractive 

 as food. A little study in the books of Palmer or Gibson will show 

 how to distinguish them unfailingly. And here, perhaps, is as good 

 a place as any to emphasize the fact that mushrooms must be learned, 

 as indi^^dual species, by actual study of living specimens well vouched 

 for, or of accurate colored plates, such as are now to be found in this 

 Library and in the Free Public Library ; or of colored models, of 

 which a good collection is to be seen in the Library of Clark Uni- 

 versity. There are very few general rules, or specific tests, as of 

 color, taste or shape. Each kind must be learned separately ; it is 

 not at all difficult as regards the common sorts, and in a very few 

 weeks one can learn to distinguish surely the thirty or more really 

 edible sorts to be found near by, and the half-dozen really poisonous 

 kinds which must be avoided. 



I pass now to glance for a moment at the important group of mush- 

 rooms, whose spores are produced in tubes on the under surface of 

 the cap. And of these the most interesting genus is the Boletus. 



In the Polyporus genus, the spore-bearing tubes are from the begin- 

 ning, or soon become, much harder than the Boleti, and the whole 

 fungus is inclined to be woody like the tree on which it generally is 

 found. The commonest species is found on birch trees and is well 

 known to you all. The young caps of the Polyporus sulphureus, an 

 edible species, gathered when the tubes are beginning to form, are 

 very good. 



Another highly approved mushroom is nearly related, Fistulina 

 hepatica. This is shaped and colored like a liver ; on the top it is 



