Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1895 — Seeds of the Mushroom. [ARTICLE]

Seeds of the Mushroom.

The spores (seeds), composed of a twocoated cell, are borne on the gills or tubes under the cap. One plant often produces ten million spores. To see these tiny spores you must cut the top of a toadstool off and lay it right side up on a sheet of black paper. After a few hours, remove it carefully, and an exact representation of its shape will remain on the paper, formed by the thousands of spores which have fallen out. If the spores fall on favorable soil, they germinate and send out great numbers of tiny threads. These, becoming intertwined and woven together, cover the ground like the finest web, and this is known as the mycelium, or “ spawn.” The threads absorb nourishment and carry it to the quickened spore.—St. Nicholas.