£40 
B "RAMBLES AND BAY LEAVES. 
The ashes of the various kinds of fungi found in fairy 
rings yield in analysis small quantities of silica, lime, 
magnesia, iron, sulphuric acid, carbonic acid, and soda. 
Potash and phosphoric acid occur also, but in very large 
proportions, the first amounting to fifty-five per cent, of 
the entire analysis, and the second to twenty-nine per 
cent., so as together to constitute the bulk of inorganic 
constituents. Now, phosphorus and potash are the finest 
of manures for grass; and hence, beside the fact of the 
soil becoming unfitted for the continuance of fungi, the 
latter may be partially driven from the field—choked out, 
in fact, by the rapid and luxurious growth of grass in the 
rich soil thus provided for it. 
A question of considerable interest arises as to why 
these growths of herbage should take a circular form, 
and maintain, as they do, such an uniformity of arrange¬ 
ment and development. This question will.be best an- 
swered by a consideration of the detailed structure of 
a fairy ring, and of the nature of the plants which com¬ 
pose it. A circle which has attained some six or eight 
feet diameter will be found to contain a considerable 
variety of the mushroom plants, and several distinct 
kinds of green herbage. In the centre will be found 
scattered several of the common edible fungi, and some¬ 
times a few of the rarer species. The most frequent are 
the Agaricus campestris , or common mushroom; Agaricus 
oreades; A . pratensis; and A. muscarius , or fly agaric, 
and the champignon. The curious heart-shaped and 
stemless Lycoperdon proteiis may also occasionally be 
found; but the most common plants are the champignons 
and Agaricus pratensis, both of which we have ourselves 
