FOREST SOCIETIES. 555 



wood, and heart- wood of the fallen trees or shrubs. In a few 

 years the branches begin to crumble because of the disorganiz- 

 ing effect of the mycelium in the wood. Other species adapted 

 to growing in rotting wood follow and bring about, in a few years, 

 the complete disintegration of the wood. It gradually passes 

 into the soil of the forest floor, and is made available food for 

 the living trees. How often one notices that seedling trees and 

 shrubs start more abundantly on rotting logs. 



"The fallen leaves, too, are seized upon by the mycelium of a 

 great variety of mushrooms. It is through the action of the 

 mycelium of mushrooms of every kind that the fallen forest 

 leaves, as well as the trunks and branches, are converted into 

 food for the living trees. The fungi are, therefore, one of the 

 most important agents in providing available food for the virgin 

 forest. 



"The mushrooms also prevent the forest from becoming 

 choked or strangled by its own fallen timber. Were it not for 

 the action of the mushroom mycelium in causing the decay of 

 fallen timber in the forest, in time it would be piled so high as 

 to allow only a miserable existence to a few choked individuals 

 The action of the mushrooms in thus disposing of the fallen 

 timber in the forests, and in converting dead trees and fallen leaves 

 into available food for the living ones, is probably the most impor- 

 tant role in the existence of these plants. Mushrooms, then, are 

 to be given very high rank among the natural agencies which 

 have contributed to the good of the world. When we con- 

 template the vast areas of forest in the world we can gain some 

 idea of the stupendous work performed by the mushrooms in 

 4 'housecleaning ? and in 'preparing food,' work in which they 

 are still engaged." (Atkinson, in Mushrooms, Edible, Poison- 

 ous, etc.) 



