Fungi for the Herbarium 
having white spores. If there is any doubt, set two fungi—one 
with a coloured disk and the other with a white one. 
It is an easy matter to fix spores for future use, but a more 
difficult matter to fix them so that they represent a picture of the 
radiating gills. In order to do this the stem must be cut from 
the cap, and the cap must be so arranged over the paper that no 
draughts shall disturb the spores as they fall, and also so that it 
may be removed from the paper without disturbing the spores 
after they have fallen. The writer would suggest that two fine 
wires should be thrust horizontally and at right angles to each 
other through the cap, and that the ends of the wires should be 
supported in a convenient manner, so that the cap may just 
swing free from the paper which is to receive the spores. The 
whole must be covered to keep the spores from being disturbed 
by draughts. When the spores have fallen, the cover can be re- 
moved, the cap raised, and the spore-print fixed. 
Various methods of fixing spores for prints are recommended. 
The following are quoted from a bulletin of the Boston Mycoiog- 
ical Club : 
The following directions for fixing spore prints are taken from Herpel (“‘ Das 
Prapariren der Hutpilze ”’). 
Paper which is somewhat absorbent must be used; unglazed blue or black paper 
(of which the colour must be unaffected by the fixative) for white-spored species. 
The piece of paper bearing the spore print is to be laid, spores upward, in a flat plate 
or platter on which a thin layer of fixative has first been poured. The fixative is al- 
lowed to soak up through from below, and should not overflow the edges of the 
paper. When it is certain that the spores as well as the paper are thoroughly soaked, 
the preparation is removed and dried; sometimes, to prevent sticking, being laid on 
moistened blotting-paper. : 
The fixative to be used will vary with the species. For instance, the spores of 
Cantharellus cibarius and some others may be fixed by water alone. The following 
solution is recommended for Boledi and species with coloured spores: One part san- 
darac, two parts mastic, and two parts Canada balsam, dissolved in thirty parts of 
ninety-five per cent. alcohol. In the use of this it has been found that the time of 
soaking necessary to fix the spores-is for Bo/eti,two minutes; Dermini, Coprinarii, 
Gomphidius, Paxillus, Russula, and Lactarius, four to five minutes; pink-spored 
agarics, also dark brown spored (as the meadow mushroom), and Cortinarit, six to 
eight minutes. It is important that the alcohol should be full strength. 
A gelatine solution is useful for white-spored species. This is prepared and used 
warm. Its strength varies with the species. Lefiota procera, Collybia radicata, and 
Clitocybe laccata may be fixed by a solution of one part gelatine to thirty of water. 
For species of 7richoloma this is too strong, and one to sixty, or one to two hun- 
dred must be the formula. The difficulty arises here from the fact that an excess of 
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