8 
Colorado Experiment Station 
Hum has reached a considerable growth. In such a case it may dry 
up for a time to be started into activity again when the moisture 
supply is renewed. This is the condition in which mushroom 
spawn is sold for the starting of mushroom beds, the so-called 
bricks or flakes being compact masses of half decomposed manure 
filled with the mycelium of the cultivated variety of the common 
meadow mushroom. 
STRUCTURE AND CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI. 
In their structure the tissues of a fungus are much simpler 
than those of other plants. If a small fragment of the flesh of a 
Fig. 6. Fig. 7. 
No. 5. Small portion of the tissue of a mushroom showing the tu¬ 
bular filaments which go to make up the flesh of the softer part of the 
fungus. Highly magnified. 
No. 6. Small portion of the spore-bearing layer of one of the fungi 
belonging to the class Basidiomycetes. The spores (a) are produced on 
the ends of little stalk-like projections of the basidia; (b), (c), sterile 
cells intermingled with the basidia. Highly magnified. 
No. 7. Small portion of the spore-bearing layer of a Morel. The 
spores (a) are produced inside of long thin-walled cells or sacs called 
Asci; ;(b), (c), sterile cells intermingled with the spore-bearing cells. 
The spores are discharged by the breaking open of the ends of the asci, as 
at (c). Highly magnified. 
mushroom is examined under the higher power of a compound 
microscope it will appear to be made up of interwoven thin-walled, 
freely branched tubes which are divided at frequent intervals bv 
