126 
Now, while we may as well frankly admit that there is not the 
slightest expectation as yet of any immediate realisation of the latter 
object—and the intensity of expectation on the part of more sanguine 
‘ndividuals need no more deter us from this admission than the apathy 
or scepticism of others need exclude the hope that it will one day be 
attained—it is, on the other hand, clear that great and important ad- 
vances in our knowledge of the possibilities and meaning of life- 
actions have been made during the last quarter of a century, and 
particularly from the study of the Fungi. Certain questions arising 
herefrom seem to me worth examining by a combination of field and 
laboratory mycologists. 
Analyses have shown that in addition to traces of numerous 
elements shown to be un-essential to its life, a fungus, freshly 
gathered, contains about 85-90 °/o of water, and 10-15 °/o of solids. 
It was then found that in all cases the solid material consists of a 
combustible portion—about 10-12 °/o of the fresh fungus—yielding 
Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen and Nitrogen, chiefly in the form of 
Carbon-dioxide, Water and Ammonia, when burnt, and a residual ash 
—about 1-2 °/o of the whole—containing potassium, phosphorus, 
magnesium and sulphur, together with traces of calcium, sodium and 
other minerals. 
As experience progressed it was found possible to add that in the 
intact fungus the elements referred to are combined into Carbo- 
hydrates, proteids, fats and traces of other bodies, the minerals being 
in some way distributed among these so-called organic compounds, 
but how it was impossible to say. 
It was then found that a certain elasticity is observable in the pro- 
portions of these elements, and that, while it is generally true that 
the combustible part contains 50 °/o Carbon, 30 °/o Oxygen, 15 
°/o Nitrogen and 5 °/o Hydrogen, for instance, even one and the 
same fungus contains different proportions of these and of water and © 
of ash at different stages, in different situations, and in its various 
parts. Thus the proportions in that well studied fungus, Saccharo- 
myces, contains, per cent. of dry weight— . 
Carbon a ie x ay ober go:S 
Hydrogen a ree OS AO 753 
Nitrogen me ee oe OS TOTS 
Oxygen fee ees nee BYP teeg7 
Minerals es ie i < BS AOS G 
And a recent analysis of Penicillium gives, in the mycelium, 12-36 
°lo of dry solids, of which 11°34 °/o is ash; whereas the spores yield 
61°13 °/o of solids, of which only 3°09 °/o is ash. ~ ; 
Again, Agaricus melleus. 16°26 °/o of its dry weight are proteids 
in the fully grown specimens, but in the young state the pileus yields 
28'6 °/o and the stipes 26°91 °/o, and similarly with other Fungi. 
Another remarkable point is the large proportions of potash and 
phosphoric acid in the ash of Fungi, these valuable elements often 

