40 
FUNGI. 
Amongst those who pick mushrooms how many there are 
who know very little about them ! It is therefore perhaps not 
useless to recall here some details of mycology as it is now the 
time of the harvest. That which is called in vulgar parlance 
"The mushroom" is in reality only a part of the plant — the 
reproductive apparatus. The main plant is much less apparent 
and is generally underground, which explains that for a long 
time it was passed unnoticed. This portion has received from 
botanists the name of "mycelium," but it is often called "mush- 
room spawn." It is an assemblage of whitish filaments, often 
forming skeins, or long strands, usually white, but often of 
other colors, excepting green. In certain cases, such as truf- 
fles, for instance, the mycelium is in the form of an irregular 
blackish tuber, called a sclerote. The mycelium is more or 
less developed, according to the different species, and accord- 
ing to exterior conditions. It may itself constitute the whole 
of the plant, and itself produce spores; this is the case with all 
the lower forms of fungi. In any case, in the mushrooms, 
which are gaathered for eating, the mycelium plays only the 
part of the root of other plants ; it is on this that the reproduc- 
tive apparatus is developed, a receptacle or hood, which is the 
part sought for by lovers of mushrooms. The plant itself is 
very tenaceous of life, which explains why one frequently finds 
the same variety of mushroom in the same place for many 
following seasons. The underground plant can withstand 
many years of drought, merely throwing up no reproductive 
part ; but should a favorable season- come, the mushrooms, 
which had apparently disappeared from a field or wood, will 
again be found in abundance. The method of growth of the 
mycelium also explains a peculiarity which has been observed 
by all mushroom seekers, namely, the disposition in a more 
or less regular circle which they affect. This circumstance is 
simply due to the fact that the mushroom spawn forms a sort 
of disc which grows always from its outer edge, while the 
center part dies. The reproductive apparatus therefore 
develops itself naturally on the outer edge of the circle, where 
the vitality of the mycelium is greatest. 
The reproductive apparatus is composed of a hood, a foot, 
(these two may both be missing however) and of spores. The 
latter are the only essential parts. These spores are usually 
contained in capsules on the under surface of the hood, on 
leaflets, as in ordinary mushrooms, or in tubes, as in the case 
of cepes. It is besides very easy .to gather these spores : it is 
sufficient to place a mushroom for a day or two on a sheet of 
white paper, which will soon be covered with a white, pink or 
brown dust, which is formed by the mass of these spores. 
