188—MORE ABOUT GEASTERS. 
Geaster saccatus (See Geaster, p. 37) is a common plant in this 
country. It grows in rich soil in the woods. We state in our pamphlet 
that the unexpanded plant is globose. This is an error as we learn 
from our observations in the woods this summer. The unexpanded plant 
is acute. This makes it hard to define the difference between ‘ ‘saccatus’ ’ 
and “lageniformis”. Saccatus is a smaller plant with not as acute 
segments but this distinction is only comparative and not satisfactory. 
Geaster triplex has reached me from many collectors this year 
and I have gathered it abundantly in the woods of Michigan. It 
usually grows around the roots of trees, and remains for a long time 
in an unexpanded (acute) form. The freshly opened plants are not 
reddish-brown but greyish, but they become reddish-brown with age. 
This plant common with us is seemingly rare in Europe. We do not 
have it from any foreign collector. Were it as common in Europe as 
with us, we would think it certainly the original “G. rufescens”. 
189—GYROPHRAGMIUM DELILEI. 
Doubt has been expressed to me (in conversation) regarding 
the accuracy of statements of page 68 of Myc. Notes regarding the 
identity of our western plant with Gyrophragmium Delilei of Europe. 
We welcome such criticisms for we are seeking the truth only, but we 
never had any question in our mind on the subject as the information 
w 7 as communicated to us by Prof. Patouillard and we have learned to 
depend implicitly on what he says. 
In this connection it is wonderful to me, the thorough manner 
in which both Patouillard and Bresadola have mastered Mycology. 
Hundreds of specimens have been sent by me to them and ninety-nine 
instances out of a hundred, their determinations were absolutely iden¬ 
tical. This is not the result of any accident, it is from the knowled A 
that each has of the subject. If American mycologists would submit to 
either of them their supposed “new species’’ before publishing, our 
literature would not be burdened with so many worthless names. 
But I am straying away from what I intended to say. We have 
just received a specimen of Gyrophragmium Delilei from F. Cavara of 
Sicily and if anyone doubts its identity with our American plant we 
invite a comparison in our museum. 
190—GATHERING PUFF-BALLS. 
Experience shows that it is very simple to gather good speci¬ 
mens of “puff balls.’’ First, pick them up abundantly, twenty or 
more specimens of each kind, that is if you find them abundantly. 
Gather them when ripe, and if young ones are growing in the same 
collection, gather one or two of the young ones and send with the lot. 
Second, do not send them when you collect them, but spread them out 
to dry, keeping each kind together of course and send, only when 
thoroughly dry. Third, send them in a box in such a way that they 
will not be mashed in the mails, and that each kind will be separate. 
Every one who receives our pamphlet can send “puffballs” if they 
want to, for they grow everwhere and now is the season to collect them. 
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