

THE FUNGUS TRIBE. 15 



frequently growing many inches in the space of a 

 night, especially after storms*" 



"The large puff-ball which we found in the 

 meadow was a fungus," said Henry ; " and so, I 

 suppose, are all the plants we call toad-stools : and 

 so are the beautiful orange-coloured velvety spots 

 we sometimes find on old fences." 



"Every kind of mouldiness, or mildew, wher- 

 ever we may find it," added his father, " also pro- 

 ceeds from the growth of innumerable small fungi." 



" Then the mould I saw in the cellar, and that 

 on my cup of paste," said Henry, "must be of 

 this kind." 



"And that on mamma's preserves," said Mary, 

 " and on the bread when it is very stale. I sup- 

 pose we may make these plants grow when we 

 like : it is only to keep our food a long time, and 

 it will be covered with them. Do they grow from 

 seed, or what brings them ?" 



" That is one of the mysteries we cannot pene- 

 trate," said her father. "We cannot tell how it 

 is, that in the dark or in the light, in the open air 

 or in the closet, these plants spring up. Whether 

 their seeds are so light as to be carried about 

 invisibly, and lodged in such various places, or 



