A MANUAL OF BOTANY 121 



foods? In what ways can it 1)^ jji-cveiited ? Is mold a 

 fungus or an alga? Kead al)out molds, and find out their 

 economic importance; also the details of their life history 

 not discovered in the preceding work. Are molds poisonous 

 or not ? What disease seems to be caused by a moldy 

 grain? Why are molds less injurious than bacteria? 



Typj: 4. Water Molds ^ 



General statement. Various kinds of organic material 

 placed in water soon develop moldy growths. Live fish 

 are frequently attacked, causing great loss of life. Let the 

 pupil try to grow these plants by means of various vegeta- 

 bles or bits of meat kept for some time in water. 



Structure. Examine the growth in the water by means 

 of the naked eye and with a lens ; observe the size of the 

 growth, color, and general appearance. What fungus fea- 

 tures, more or less resembling bread mold, do you observe? 

 How do you account for the mold appearing on the articles 

 of food placed in the water ? 



Examine preparations (/j)) or Qq')), and look for mycelium 

 and any reproductive structures. 



Drawings. Sketch such structures as you find, and name 

 according to the terms already used in the common bread 

 mold. 



Damage from. Find out the amount of damage done by 

 these plants in aquaria, fish hatcheries, and among the 

 fishes. What remedies, if any, are recommended ? Look 

 up in any good reference book, and add a sumnuiry to your 

 statement about this plant. 



Type 5. Mushrooms and Toadstools- 



General statement. The ordinary forms of "toadstools" 

 and mushrooms are to be found wherever there is decaying 



1 Saprolognia species. ^ Higher fungi. 



