42 .< 



FUNGUS FORAY AT HELMSLEY. 



CHARLES CROSSLAND, F.L.S., 

 Halifax; Hon. Sec. Y.N.U. Mycological Cointniltce. 



The 176th Meeting' of the Union consisted of the Annual 

 F'ung'us Foray. It was held at the charming little town o'i 

 Helmsley, North-east Yorkshire, for the investigation of the 

 woods and pastures in that neighbourhood. Lord Feversham 

 kindly threw open his extensive grounds at Duncombe Park 

 and other estates in the vicinity for this purpose. The head- 

 quarters were at the Royal Oak, where all necessarj- books and 

 instruments were located. The whole of the Mycological Com- 

 mittee, with one exception, were present. (Mr. Wager's 

 duties called him away on the Monday morning.) Other 

 members of the Union who took part in the proceedings were : 

 John Farrah, F.L.S., Harrogate; R. H. Philip and T. Sheppard, 

 F.G. S., General Secretary, Hull ; and W. A. Thwaites, Masham ; 

 atbout twenty in all. 



Prof. G. T. Atkinson, Cornell University, New York, U.S.A., 

 attended the meeting and proved a most welcome addition to 

 the company. Prof. Atkinson is one of the leading American 

 mycologists. His visit to Europe is for the express purpose 'of 

 becoming acquainted with the interpretation of Europeans of 

 their own species of fungi, to take notes on them in their fresh 

 state, and to collect and preserve as many different kinds as 

 possible for the herbarium at Cornell University for future 

 reference and study of spores and structural characters in 

 comparison with American forms.' A capital temporary oven, 

 of Prof. Atkinson's own design, was fitted up at the local 

 plumber's for drying specimens. Numerous photographs of 

 fungi were taken. 



Mr. Clarke took photographs of one or two new British 

 species to be mentioned later. 



One of the most prolific hunting grounds was the broad belt 

 of old beech woods encircling the well-stocked deer park and 

 the Hall. These were twice visited. • Much of this ground is 

 free from bracken and dog's mercury ; it is moist and covered 

 with decaying sticks and rich humus, just the right kind of 

 place for our purpose. In some places these woods reach down 

 to the river. The majority of the trees here are very old and 

 are beginning to exhibit signs of decay. Many are now being 

 attacked by parasitic fungi which will speedily sap their remain- 



1903 November i. 



