contains 810 specimens of mosses, some of which, as enumer- 

 ated in the list published in my last year's report, are South 

 African, the remainder from different parts of the world. The 

 fungi should also be similarly mounted, but at present time 

 cannot be spared for the purpose. 



I have frequently been asked whether amongst our numer- 

 ous species of fungi, i.e. " toadstools " there are not some species 

 in addition to the common " mushroom " (Agaricus campestris, 

 Linn) and the kaffir mushroom (Agaricus umkowaani, Cke. & 

 Mass), which are edible, but since I took charge of the 

 Gardens I have had no time to spare for the study of this 

 class of plants ; all the specimens now in the Colonial 

 Herbarium of Natal Hymenomycetes were collected before that 

 time. The following extract may therefore be of use to some 

 who wish to experiment in this direction. 



RULES FOR THE FUNGUS EATER. 



Dr. W. G. Farlow, in a recent paper, " Some edible and 

 poisonous fungi," in the Year Book of the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture, 1897, after discussing at some length 

 the leading edible and poisonous toadstools draws up a sum- 

 mary from which the following rules are taken : — 



1. Avoid fungi when in the button or unexpanded state ; 

 also those in which the flesh has begun to decay, even if only 

 slightly. 



2. Avoid all fungi which have stalks with a swollen base 

 surrounded by a sac-like or scaly envelope, especially if the 

 gills are white. 



3. Avoid fungi having milky juice, unless the juice is 

 reddish. 



4. Avoid fungi in which the cap or pileus is thin in pro- 

 portion to the gills, and in which the gills are nearly all of 

 equal length, especially if the pileus is bright coloured. 



5. Avoid all tube bearing fungi in which the flesh changes 

 colour when cut or broken, or where the mouths of the tubes 

 are reddish, and in case of other tube bearing fungi, experi- 

 ment with caution. 



6. Fungi which have a sort of spider-web or flocculent ring 

 round the upper part of the stalk should, in general be avoided. 



Grown persons are more apt to be poisoned by the toadstools 

 than by other toxic plants, and it is here repeated that only 

 the kinds that are harmless and well known should be gathered. 

 The poisonous species are too variable in characteristics to 

 permit of taking any chances with them. It is better to limit 

 one's list of edible kinds to a few quickly recognised species 

 than to extend the number at the risk of one's life, 



