tes), (2) Spore sac fungi (Ascomycetes), and (3) Membrane
fungi (Hymenomycetes).

MYCELIUM.

The Mycelium is commonly called the spawn of mushrooms.

It is the vegetative part of the fungus, and is composed of minute,
cylindrical, thread-like branching bodies called hyphae. When we wish to
cultivate mushrooms we plant the spawn not the spores. The thread-like
branches permeate the earth or whatever the mushroom grows upon. The
color of the mycelium is generally white, but it may also be yellow or
red. Its structural details are only visible through a microscope.

Every fungus does not bear the spores exposed upon the cap nor
underneath it. The first group of Gasteromycetes, or "Stomach fungi," as
Professor Peck has called them in his work on "Mushrooms and Their
Uses," have the spore-bearing surface enclosed in a sac-like envelope in
the interior of the plant. The genus Lycoperdon belongs to this group,
and it contains the puff-balls so common in this country.

In the second group, Ascomycetes, or "Spore sac fungi," the spores are
produced in delicate sacs called asci. The fruit-bearing part is often
cup-shaped, disc-like, or club-shaped, thicker at the top or covered
with irregular swellings and depressions like the human brain.

The Morels and Helvellas belong to this group. One often meets with
mushrooms of the former genus in the spring, and they are striking and
interesting looking fungi. There are many of both genera that are
edible. They will be described in detail later.

Botanists have classified Agarics by means of the color of the spores,
and it is the only sure way of determining to what class they belong. We
propose in this work also to enumerate the mushrooms according to the
color of the pileus or cap, and give a list, with a description of each,
after this arrangement. This, of course, is merely superficial, but may
interest and attract a beginner in the study of fungi. This list will be
placed at the end of the book.

The descriptions will be preceded by a classification according to color
of spores, some hints to students, and aids to learning which have been
found useful to others.

It is appalling to a beginner when he first reads the long list of names
of classes, genera, and species, as the latter are so closely allied in
resemblance. One has not always the time nor inclination to condense
facts for himself, nor to collect necessary information so as to
remember it most easily, all whic