In the old world it is not uncommon to see circles of grass two or three feet in diameter, in pastures, with the grass wholly dead inside the circle. The children were taught as in old times they loved to talk childish things to little children - that the grass was killed by the feet of the fairies who danced all night over these grassy floors. The appearances are now always known as fairy rings. We have never known the grass wholly killed in this country, but it is not uncommon to see circles of grass several feet in diameter where the grass is of a darker green than the rest. This appearance can indeed be often seen on lawns in early spring when the growth first takes place. Mr. Worthington G. Smith, a well known English authority on matters connected with fungus growths, gives the following note to the Garden in relation to the subject in answer to a correspondent:

"These are caused by the growth of fungi, notably by an edible species known as the Fairy Ring Champignon. The underground spawn from which the fungi arise at first starts from a centre, so that by the radial growth of the spawn the rings increase in size every year. The growth of the thick, black grass here mentioned is caused by the decay of the previous year's growth of fungi on the margin of the ring. These fungi form a highly nitrogenous manure. The new crop of fungi (generally to be seen in the autumn) is outside the dark, rank grass; this crop causes the growth of the dark-colored grass in the following year. The ring of black grass is stated here to be sweet; Shakespeare says it is sour:

"The nimble elves That do, by moonshine green, sour ringlets make, Whereof the ewe bites not.

" By further observation you will find that Shakespeare was quite right; herds and flocks do not relish the rank, sour grasses of Fairy Rings, and will not eat them".