Collecting Higher Fungi
In the collection of the higher fungi it is of the utmost importance
that certain precautions be employed in obtaining all parts of the
plant, and furthermore that care be exercised in handling, in order not
to remove or efface delicate characters.
Not only is it important for the beginner, but in many instances an “expert” may not be able to
determine a specimen which may have lost what undoubtedly seem, to some,
trivial marks.
The suggestions given here should enable one to collect
specimens in such a way as to protect these characters while fresh, to
make notes of the important evanescent characters and to dry and
preserve them properly for future study.
For collecting a number of
specimens under a variety of conditions the following list of
“apparatus” is recommended:
One or two oblong or rectangular hand baskets, capacity from 8–12
quarts.
Or a rectangular zinc case with a closely fitting top (not the ordinary
botanical collecting case).
Half a dozen or so tall pasteboard boxes, or tins, 3 × 3, or 4 × 4, × 5
inches deep, to hold certain species in an upright position.
A quantity of tissue paper cut 8 × 10 or 6 × 8 inches.
Smaller quantity of waxed tissue paper for wrapping viscid or sticky
plants.
Trowel; a stout knife; memorandum pad and pencil.