LIFE STORY OF MUSHROOMS 221 
but nowadays there is very little hidden from our 
scientists, with their wonderful microscopes by means of 
which all the secrets of plants are discovered, and then 

Fic. 272. The earth star. 
their life stories are written for us to read. Some 
people object to the word “cryptogam,” but most 
botanists use it to denote plants which do not bear 
visible flowers or true seeds. 
