excerpt from the book...I would agree with those who might maintain that no Introduction isneeded for this book on mushrooms. Nevertheless a word may not be out ofplace for the inception of the work is out of the ordinary. Mr. Hard didnot decide that a book on this subject was needed and then set aboutstudying these interesting plants. He has observed them, collected them,induced many friends to join in eating those which proved to bepalatable and delicious--really meddled for years with the various kindswhich are edible and otherwise, and then recently he has decided topublish a book on his favorite subject. The interesting occupation ofphotographing the mushrooms and the toadstools doubtless has contributedlargely to the determination culminating in the materialization of thetreatise.If I have correctly apprehended the origin and the contributing causes,we would expect this book to be different from the other books onmushrooms--not of course in scope and purpose; but the instruction andsuggestions given, the descriptions and general remarks offered, thewide range of forms depicted in word and picture, the whole make up ofthe book in fact, will appeal to the people at large rather than thecollege student in particular. The author does not write for thespecially educated few, but for the mass of intelligent people--thosewho read and study, but who observe more; those who are inclined tocommune with nature as she displays herself in the glens and glades, inthe fields and forests, and who spend little, if any, time chasing theforms or sketching the tissues that may be seen on the narrow stage of acompound microscope.