OF THE FUNGT. 125 



Of the two halves remaining over and above the portions 

 cut away, the operator should separate the stem from the cap, 

 and scoop out a large proportion of the hymenium, so as 

 to leave the pileus entire with a certain amount of fleshy 

 matter adhering to it. It might be better, perhaps, to re- 

 move the whole of the internal ^substance ; but, in that case, 

 the preparation would have a bad appearance, from being 

 too transparent after it was dried. The remains of the 

 stipes must be similarly treated ; that is to say, a large 

 portion of its interior must be removed, and then the frag- 

 ments thus prepared are ready for the press. As soon as 

 the pieces are all perfectly dry, one of the stems must be 

 gummed or glued on white paper, and at its upper end one 

 of the halves of the pileus fixed in like manner, so as to get, 

 in fact, a more or less characteristic representation of the 

 original plant. Where there is an abundance of specimens, 

 the collector need not be so particular about preserving the 

 two halves that have been already cut through. It is better 

 indeed to dry the whole of a pileus, having first scooped out 

 the greater part of the hymenium previous to fastening it 

 on paper. When drying and gumming down the longi- 

 tudinal section, pains must be taken not to disturb the 

 arrangement of the lamellae and their relation to the stipes. 



The foregoing applies particularly to the very large 

 fleshy Agarics. Those of a medium size may be simply 

 divided through the centre of the cap and stem, and each 

 half pressed and dried. The preparation is not very 

 elegant, but gives satisfactory results from a scientific point 

 of view. The smaller species, such as the Marasmii, 

 Colly bii, &c, require no special preparation beyond suspen- 

 ding them for some hours in a current of air (but not in 

 the sun) until they have lost a portion of their contained 

 fluids, and feel flabby and loose to the touch. They may 

 then be submitted to the press as usual. 



I should perhaps have mentioned before, when speaking 

 of the very fleshy kinds, that all Fungi of a soft nature, like 

 Mushrooms and Toadstools, should be hung up in the air 



