Massee: Mycological Research in the United States. 347 



largely from German sources, without admitting- the fact ; such 

 works passing- with the uninitiated as evidence of much orig-inal 

 research. 



With the object of atoning for the past, and also of trying to 

 do better in the future, it will be well to devote the limited time 

 at our disposal to a brief review of the state of mycological 

 progress in the United States. 



One of the earliest contributions was produced by Schweinitz, 

 who, along with Albertini, did some good work in Europe about 

 the beginning of the present century. Schweinitz's diagnoses 

 are brief, and, in the absence of authentic specimens, useless. 

 At a later date numerous American species were described by 

 Curtis and Berkeley in ' Grevillea,' the material, accompanied by 

 copious notes, being furnished by the first named. Fortunately, 

 the great bulk of types of this collection are preserved at Kew, 

 duplicates of which are in American collections. The descriptions 

 are just a trifle better than those by Schweinitz, nevertheless 

 inadequate. 



Ravenel and Ellis are names well known to mycologists 

 throughout the world, not only as collectors of fungi, but also as 

 keen and accurate observers. Ravenel's extensive collections, 

 made in the Southern States, were determined by Dr. M. C. 

 Cooke, at Kew. Ellis, in addition to numerous contributions 

 relating to fungi, published at intervals extending over many 

 years, has produced an excellent volume, abounding with illustra- 

 tions, dealing with all the known American Pyrenomycetes. 



Professor C. Peck, of the State Hall, Albany, has devoted 

 a lifetime to the description and delineation of fungi, and has 

 paid special attention to edible species. 



Parasitic fungi, especially those of economic importance, have 

 received special attention at the hands of many of the mycologists 

 attached to the various agricultural research stations. 



The modern method of teaching mycology was introduced to 

 the United States by Dr. W. G. Farlow, Professor of Crypt o- 

 gamic Botany at Harvard University, who studied under the late 

 Professor DeBary, and amongst the many American mycologists 

 who have benefited either directly or indirectly by Dr. Fallow's 

 teaching, his student Dr. Thaxter is undoubtedly by far the best 

 systematic mycologist at present living in the United States. 

 In too many instances the mycologist of a few years' standing 

 considers it his duty to inflict on his fellow creatures a list of the 

 fungi of his district, or he may go so far as to write a text-book 

 on mycology in general. Such rash acts, unless the author is 



