12 
Colorado Exprrimrnt Station 
soon learns to look for them each spring in the same haunts. It 
loves the leaf mold which gathers among broad leaf trees in partic¬ 
ular and has been found at times in favored places upon undis¬ 
turbed soil near the shade trees of a vacant city lot. 
The color of the stem is nearly white, while the cap is grayish 
or leaden when young but acquires a buff tint as it matures. The 
usual size of the plant is from two to four inches in height, although 
larger specimens are sometimes found. 
The only fungus at all likely to be mistaken for the Morel is 
the Stinkhorn fungus which not infrequently appears along side¬ 
walks and ditch banks, bordered with cottonwood trees and even 
in gardens and lawns or wherever there is decaying wood in the 
soil. The latter fungus, however, while not dangerous, is readily 
recognized by the taller stem which bears a small bell-shaped pitted 
cap coated at first with a dark grayish green slime possessing a 
strong carrion-like odor. This ill-smelling fungus is at first en¬ 
tirely covered by a tough membrane, in which condition it some¬ 
what resembles a small, soft-shelled egg. When about to push 
above ground the fungus bursts through this covering which is left 
in the ground at the base of the stem. Sometimes a whole nest of 
these fungous eggs may be unearthed if the soil is dug up where 
they occur and in this condition they are considered by some per¬ 
sons to be edible. 
The Puffballs. 
Puffballs are among the most interesting members of the 
fleshy fungi. They occur almost everywhere, on open grassy 
No. 10. A purple-spored puffball commonly found growing in mea¬ 
dows and pasture land. 
