THE^SPORE-BEARERS 53 



open to see the tubes which contain the spores. How do such fungi get 

 established on the tree ? What could be done to prevent their attack ? 



The moss plant. Study some moss plant like the hairy cap (Poly- 

 trichium). Note (i) the holdfasts in the soil, (2) the leafy upright stem, 

 and on top of this, at some seasons, (3) the spore-bearing part consisting of 

 0) a stalk whose base is held in the top of the leafy stem, and (b) a spore 

 case; the latter is protected in this particular moss by the hairy cap. When 



i the spores are ripe they shake out like pepper from a pepper shaker. The 

 perforations on top of the spore case sometimes make a characteristic and 

 beautiful pattern. 



Fern spores. 'The spore cases on the fern are found in rows or clusters 

 on the back of the fern frond, as in the rock polypody, or else one or more 

 of the leaves is given up partially or entirely to the production of spores 

 (Clayton's fern or the cinnamon fern). Lay a fern frond with well- 

 developed spore cases, back down, on a sheet of white paper. The spores 

 soon fall off. It is interesting to sow these on the surface of moist and well- 

 firmed soil in a pot which is kept covered with a plate of glass. The spore 

 develops into a somewhat leaflike heart-shaped structure (the prothallium) 

 that grows flat on the soil and sends down its holdfasts. It is only as large 

 as the end of a pencil or smaller. From this the new fern plant grows. 

 Such prothallia may often be found on the pots or benches in the green- 

 house, where the florist has ferns growing, or on the moist soil in the woods 

 where ferns are abundant. 



Horsetails. In the horsetail the spores are grown in a cone-shaped 

 structure at the end of the stem. The horsetails or Equisetae are also 



; known as snake grass or as joint grass, because the stems break apart so 



i easily into hollow segments. One of the common ones often grows along 

 railroad embankments or in waste fields. The stems are very harsh to the 



; touch, containing much silica, and they are used, when tied in bundles, to 

 scour pans by frontier settlers. Hence the name "scouring rush" is com- 

 monly given to the plant. 



Sterilization. Rig up a steam sterilizer as follows: Take two lard pails 

 or other similar covered pails that will set one inside the other, leaving a 

 three- or four-inch space between bottoms. Punch holes in the bottom and 

 one or two in the top of the inside pail. Put water in the outer pail so that 

 when boiled the steam will escape through the inner pail. Put a piece of 

 moist bread in a clean pint fruit jar. Set the cover on but do not screw it 

 down. Put this in the sterilizer and steam for twenty minutes. Let it 

 stand twenty-four hours and again steam twenty minutes. Screw the 

 cover down and let it stand. Does mold appear on the bread ? What does 

 this show ? Shove a needle into a wood handle about the size of a pencil. 



