Rails - Dec 2005 - Get variables from button_to

Very newbie..
Excuse for this very stupid simple question, but I just cant find the
answer anywhere:

When I use the botton_to method, how do I pick up the string it posts
in the controller?

ie:

view:
   <%= button_to @fakbasevar, {
		   :action => ''del_item'',
		   :id => @fakebasevar
				       } 

I thought of something like:
item = Item.new(params[:_])

in the del_item method in the controller...

How can I get the content of @fakebasevar inn the item var?

Regards Henrik