62 2 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



such quantity as to attract his attention. Three species were specially 

 prevalent. These were the shaggy Coprinus, C coniatus^ the 

 masked Tricholoma, T. 'personatu7?i, and the tufted Ciitocybe, C, mul- 

 ticeps. These are all edible mushrooms. The last grew in great 

 clusters, in one of which 90 individual plants were counted. The masked 

 Tricholoma was also very abundant and is a mushroom of excellent flavor. 

 The abundance of the crop gradually increased and the area occupied by 

 it extended till about 15 acres were covered by the various species. It 

 was not pleasant to see so much good food wasting and decomposing on 

 the ground. Mr Braendle therefore directed public attention to the fact 

 by publishing a notice in one of the daily papers of the presence of a 

 bounteous crop of mushrooms which could be had for the slight trouble 

 of gathering them. People soon began to throng the island and to 

 gather its unusual and interesting crop. I quote by permission from Mr 

 Braen die's letter of November 21, "I visited the island yesterday and 

 though over a hundred bushels had been carted a\v.ay on Saturday 

 there are just as many C. fmdticeps and T. personatum as before. They 

 are spreading over the island very rapidly. People are no longer afraid 

 of them, as thousands of persons have tried them since November 11. 

 Itahans, Greeks and Germans make the most use of them, and many 

 families are drying them for winter use. There are now about 

 fifteen acres covered by these fungi, including Coprinus comahis of 

 which thousands are gathered every day." 



These statements show what prolific crops of edible fungi may be ex- 

 pected when the conditions for their growth are favorable, and also how 

 readily people avail themselves of them as an article of food as soon as 

 they are confident that they can do so without danger. 



The investigation of the flora of the town of North Elba has been 

 continued, and some parts of the town I had not previously visited have 

 been botanically explored. Among these are the top of Wallface moun- 

 tain and the cold, elevated, swampy district west and northwest of this 

 mountain. These new localities have added several species to the list 

 of those previously known to belong to the flora of North Elba, and a 

 few to the flora of the state. 



Respectfully submitted 



Charles H. Peck 



State botanist 



Albany y December 28, 1898 



