136 



NATURE STUDY MADE EASY 



III. SPORES 



Found in gills of mush- 

 rooms. 



When ripe, fall out like 

 grains of powder. 



Feed on damp soil, and 

 produce spawn. 



Spawn spreads and feeds 

 on water. 



Tiny buttons develop. 



Button grows rapidly into 

 mushroom. 



Simplest form of plant 

 life. 



III. Lay a ripe mushroom on a sheet oi 

 paper. Shake out spores, brown, or black, 

 or white. Compare with spores of fern 

 and moss. No seeds. If spores are 

 placed on suitable soil, will produc- 

 strings of white cord called spawn. Spawn 

 spreads and feeds and takes up water 

 like a root; is long time developing. 

 Compare root of bean with spawn. Show 

 difference in germination. Look for but- 

 tons on spawn. Show buttons to class. 

 Tell the class these are beginnings of new 

 mushrooms. Have class look for spawn 

 in woods, or on decayed trunks of trees. 

 Tell how fungus spawn often destroys 

 trees. 



Warn pupils against indiscriminate 

 gathering of mushrooms. Tell of rapid 

 growth from button. Full-grown mush- 

 rooms can develop in one night. 



In some countries considered a delicacy. 



Many persons earn livelihood cultiva- 

 ting mushrooms. 



PRACTICAL WORK AND APPLICA- 

 TION 



Encourage pupils to visit a mushroom 

 gardener and watch growth. 



Describe the growth of a mushroom 

 from a spore. 



What is a mushroom button? 



Describe a mushroom the head, gills, 

 ring, stem. 



Are all mushrooms edible ? Which 

 are not? 



For what purpose are mushrooms 

 grown? 



