The greatest care has been taken to secure illustrations correct in every botanic detail. With few exceptions the colored figures were drawn and painted by the writer. To obtain this important feature the requirements of art have frequently been sacrificed. An artist can make a picture of a toadstool; the mycologist must guide his brush or pencil in the making of a correct presentation. The happy combination of artist and mycologist occurs in Mr. Val. W. Starnes, Augusta, Ga., to whom this volume owes many of its illustrations. Mr. Frank D. Briscoe, widely known as an artist of rare ability, has arranged and painted in groups the studies made by the writer from typical plants, and added to the illustrations many excellent drawings of his own. The unfailing reliability of the sun has been masterfully used by Dr. J.R. Weist, ex-Secretary of the American Society of Surgeons, Richmond, Ind.; H.I. Miller, Superintendent Terre Haute and Indianapolis Railroad, Terre Haute, Ind., and Mr. Luther G. Harpel, Lebanon, Pa., in making the unexcelled photographs generously contributed by them. The author is most thankful to them and to Mr. C.G. Lloyd, Cincinnati, Ohio—a scientific gentleman devoting lavishly of his time and money to the spread of mycological knowledge—for the privilege of selecting from his extensive collection of realistic photographs those adaptable to the species described herein. The author’s thanks are gratefully given to the many who have by help and encouragement furthered his efforts in producing this, the first American text-book upon fungi. Space precludes the naming of the many, but the few named do not outrank them in their interest, help and the author’s appreciation: Miss Lydia M. Patchen, President of the Westfield, N.Y., Toadstool Club (the first in America); Mrs. E.C. Anthony, Thomas J. Collins, E.B. Sterling, Berry Benson, Melvil Dewey, New York State Librarian; Dr. J.E. Schadle, Prof. J.P. Arnold, University of Pennsylvania; Prof. W.S. Carter, University of Texas; Boston School of Natural History; Massachusetts Horticultural Society; Prof. Wm. G. Farlow, University of Harvard. Thus aided the author believes that his own conscientious, patient, loved labor in the study of edible and non-edible fungi and the production of this volume will be far-reaching in its one object—encouraging the study of toadstools. The time for writing a complete flora of the United States has not yet come; a large part of the country remains as yet unexplored by mycologists; new species are being constantly discovered in the districts best known. Every book on the subject must be necessarily incomplete.