x. 
INFLUENCES AND EFFECTS. 
Ir is no longer doubted that fungi exercise a large and very 
important influence in the economy of nature. It may be that 
in some directions these influences are exaggerated ; but it is 
certain that on the whole their influence is far more important 
for evil and for good than that of any other of the Cryptogamia. 
In our endeavour to estimate the character and extent of these 
influences it will prove advantageous to examine them under 
three sections. 1. Their influence on man. 2. Their influence 
on lower animals. 38. Their influence on vegetation. Under 
these sections the chief facts may be grouped, and some approxi- 
mate idea obtained of the very great importance of this fumily of 
inferior plants, and consequently the advisability of pnrsuing 
their study more thoroughly and nationally than has hitherto 
been done. 
I. In estimating the influence of fungiupon man, we naturally 
enough seek in the first instance to know what baneful effects 
they are capable of producing on food. Although in the case of 
“poisonous fungi,’ popularly understood, fungi may be the 
passive agents, yet they cannot be ignored in an inquiry of this 
nature. Writing of the Uses of Fungi, we have already shown 
that a large number are available for food, and some of these 
real delicacies ; so, on the other hand, it becomes imperative, 
even with stronger emphasis, to declare that many are poisonous, 
and some of them virulently so. It is not sufficient to say that 
they are perfectly harmless until voluntarily introduced into the 
human system, whilst it is well known that accidents are always 
