234—GEASTER RUFESOENS IN WASTE PLACES. 
“I found a large patch, probably twenty or twenty-five feet in 
area, of Geaster rufescens at the corner of Main and Elm streets, 
Grofton, N. Y. At the corner of the streets named had been a building 
of the Grofton Bridge Co. This spot apparently had been at some 
time a dumping place for cinders and shop sweepings, and among which 
were evidences of iron turnings. Thus the soil was largely impregnated 
with oxide of iron. Geaster rufescens grew very profusely over the 
entire area named. I could hardly thrust the point of my cane 
between them. It was a sight worthy the attention of the most care¬ 
less observer, but scores of people passed the spot daily without even 
seeing the plant.”—Extract from private letter from Frank R. Rath- 
burn, Auburn, N. Y. 
233—THE CLEAVAGE OF SCLERODERMA GEASTER. 
‘ ‘ I have found a fine example of the peculiar cleavage of the 
peridium of Scleroderma Geaster that you have illustrated in Myco- 
logical Notes, page 81. It is caused in this case, I think, by immature 
plants being killed by the cold weather. The spore mass in drying 
sticks to the inner side of the peridium, and in weathering does not 
dry as readily as the outer layer of the peridium, which gradually 
peels off, as shown in your photograph. I have several stages of this 
interesting process. The plants named were killed about Nov. 23rd, 
1902, being the second crop of this species to develop this fall; the first 
developed in October, the continued rains and warm weather starting 
a second lot. but as I have stated, cold weather killed them before 
they matured. In none of the first crop was this cleavage observed, 
although I collected many specimens, while numbers of the present 
crop show evidence of this cleavage.”—Extract from letter from W. 
H. Long, Jr., of Denton, Texas. 
We do not doubt that Mr. Long has presented a correct solution 
of this problem, and we are glad to be able to publish the information. 
Such facts as these ought to be recorded by all means. As Mr. Long 
states, “ I find it much more interesting to study plants than the litera¬ 
ture of plants.” 
236—LEPIOTA MORGANI in EUROPE. 
Prof. Bresadola, to whom we sent specimens of Lepiota Morgani, 
advises us that in his opinion the plant is the same as Krombholz has 
described and illustrated under the name of Agaricus gracilentus. It 
has always been supposed in this country that Lepiota Morgani, with 
its greenish gills, was something unique, the fact having been over¬ 
looked that Krombholz described and illustrated Agaricus gracilentus 
with gills ‘ 1 Blassgriinlich werdenden,” and that his figure 14 shows 
the gills decidedly greenish. The top of the pileus as shown in figure 
13, does not have the same scales that our plant has, but Krombholz’s 
figure 16 of his species Agaricus subtomentosus is a perfect illus¬ 
tration of our plant. Although he described the gills as white, we 
would not be surprised if it turned out that Agaricus subtomentosus 
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