OF THE FUNGI. 
125 
Of tlie 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 Fmigi of a soft nature, like 
Mushrooms and Toadstools, should be hung up in the air 
