Wager: The Study of Fungi. sisi, 
as a stimulus to the production of the pileus.. We have very 
few recorded observations on these problems. 
Variation in the food supply evokes a very definite modifi- 
cation in the Fungus body, as Klebs, many years ago, showed 
was the case with Saprolegnia, but experimental observations 
upon the.more highly differentiated forms are much needed. 
Thus it has been shown that the tendency to fruit formation 
in some of these larger forms may be retarded by changing 
or weakening the food supply, and somewhat similar effects 
may be produced by variation in the supply of moisture. 
Temperature is also known to play an important part in 
modifying the form and dev elopment of the Fungus body. All 
these problems require further investigation, and it is par- 
ticularly desirable that observations conducted in the field, 
under the natural conditions of the environment and food 
supply, should be made. 
To turn to the more utilitarian aspect of the study of the 
Fungi. There is still much to be done in the study of Fungus 
diseases and their life histories. To plant breeders this is of 
the utmost importance, and there is ample scope for largely 
increased observation in the field. 
Then there is the question of edible and poisonous Fungi. 
This may be a small matter to many of us, but it seems to me 
of sufficient importance to warrant a more attentive study. 
It is to be regretted that so large a quantity of excellent food, 
in the form of edible species of Fungi, should be allowed to 
decay for want of a lttle knowledge to enable one to distin- 
guish them from the poisonous or injurious species. A very 
considerable number of species—Cooke says certainly seventy 
or eighty common species—may be safely eaten. Those who 
have never tried the common puff balls, various species of 
Hygrophorus, Lactarius delictosus (the delicious milk-mush- 
room), Tvricholoma personatus, (Blewits), Fistulina hepatica, 
(beef-steak fungus), species of Coprinus, Boletus edulis, the 
Morel and many others, have yet much to learn as to the 
possibilities of this food supply. 
It would be a most useful work if Natural History Societies 
would institute the examination and methods oi discrimination 
of the common species of edible and poisonous Fungi, by hold- 
ing exhibitions, and giving demonstrations of their structure 
and of the scientific characteristics by means of which they 
may be distinguished. As Dr. Cooke points out, ‘ there are no 
general rules capable of universal application whereby edible 
may at once be distinguished from poisonous fungi.’ There 
are some general characteristics which may be helpful, but, 
(and again I quote from Dr. Cooke), ' no method is so safe as 
that which consists in mastering the characteristics of a few 
species, especially when pointed out by one who is practically 
tort Oct. 1. 
