OF THE FUNGI. 49 



found to be exceedingly prolific in these plants.'' This in 

 England, but in Italy the very scenery is beautified by 

 the number, variety, and coloring of these vegetables. 

 " Well may their sudden apparition surprise us, for not 

 ten days since, the waters were all out, and only three or 

 four nights back peals of thunder rattled against the case- 

 ments ; and now, behold the meadows, by natural magic, 

 studded with countless fairy rings of every diameter, 

 formed of such species as grow upon the ground, while 

 the chestnut and the oak are teeming with a new class of 

 fruits, that had no previous blossoming, many of which 

 had already attained their full growth." " These are the 

 fungus tribe, a new class of objects which have sprung 

 up suddenly and now beset our path on every side, beauti- 

 ful as the fairest flowers, and more useful than most of 

 tire" fruits." "The extremely limited time during which 

 funguses are to be found, their fragility, their infinite di- 

 versity, their ephemeral existence, these too add to the 

 interest of an autumnal walk." "In such rambles he 

 will see what I have, this autumn, myself witnessed, whole 

 hundred weights of rich wholesome diet rotting under 

 trees; woods teeming with food, and not one hand to 

 gather it." 



Herat and Lens say: "It is usually in autumn that 

 they (fungi) are developed in humid places, where the air 

 is thick and unwholesome, with a rapidity that has passed 

 into a proverb." 



In the Cyclop. Amer. we learn that the best time for 

 gathering mushrooms is August and September, and Mil- 

 ler's Horticultural Dictionary remarks that September is 

 the chief season of their growth. 



In the beautiful work of Mons. J. Roques, on the poi- 

 sonous and edible fungi, is the following language: " We 

 5 



