Chapter XII (1)

SOME OF THE MOST COMMON AND USEFUL EDIBLE FUNGI.

“Whole hundredweights of rich, wholesome diet rotting under
the trees; woods teeming with food, and not one hand to gather
it; and this, perhaps, in the midst of potato-blight, poverty,
and all manner of privations, and public prayers against
imminent famine.”
_Dr. Badham._

VALUABLE as is the common mushroom, it is indisputable that not a few other kinds are also capable of affording excellent food. Therefore, figures are given of the most prevalent, useful, and easily recognised kinds of edible fungi, as well as of the common mushrooms of our gardens and markets. These figures have been admirably drawn by Mr. W. G. Smith, and are accompanied by what seemed the most satisfactory accounts of the characters and properties that are obtainable. The spores which accompany the figures are uniformly enlarged seven hundred diameters.

_Marasmius oreades_ (Fairy-ring Champignon).

_Pileus_ smooth, fleshy, convex, subumbonate, generally more or less compressed, tough, coriaceous, elastic, wrinkled; when water-soaked, brown; when dry, of a buff or cream-colour, the umbo often remaining red-brown, as if scorched; _gills_ free, distant, ventricose, of the same tint as the pileus, but more pale; _stem_ equal, solid, twisted, very tough and fibrous, of a pale silky-white colour.

Fig. 30--2. _Marasmius urens_ (False Champignon). Woods and pastures in the autumn; colour, pale buff; _gills narrow and crowded together_; diameter, ½ inch to 1½ inches.]

The fairy-ring agaric is a valuable little fungus, and common on almost every lawn. In hilly pastures it generally appears in broad brown patches, either circular or forming a portion of a circle.

_M. urens_, the most acrid of all allied funguses, usually grows in woods, though sometimes in the fairy-ring. However, its flat top and narrow crowded gills cause it to be readily distinguished anywhere.

_Opinions on the Merits of Marasmius oreades as an edible Fungus._--“On the Continent this species has long been considered edible, but on account of its coriaceous texture it is dried and employed in the form of powder, to season various made-dishes.”--_Dr. Greville._

“The common fairy-ring champignon is the best of all our funguses, yet there is scarcely one person in a thousand who dare venture to use it. With common observation no mistake need be made with regard to it. It has an extremely fine flavour, and makes perhaps the very best ketchup that there is.”--_Rev. M. J. Berkeley._

“An excellent flavour, as good as that of most funguses.”--_Dr. Badham._

_Modes of Cooking Marasmius oreades._--_General Use._--“Cut in small pieces and seasoned it makes an excellent addition to stews, hashes, or fried meats, but it should only be added a few minutes before serving, as the aroma is dissipated by over cooking. It is the mushroom used in the French _à la mode_ beef-shops in London.”--_Dr. Badham._

When stewed, the champignons require rather longer time to ensure their being made perfectly tender. They are readily dried by removing the stems from the fungus, threading them on a string, and hanging them up in a dry airy place. “When dried, it may be kept for years without losing any of its aroma or goodness, which, on the contrary, becomes improved by the process, so as, in fact, to impart more flavour to the dish than would have been imparted by the fresh fungus; though it is not to be denied that the flesh then becomes coriaceous (or tough), and less easy of digestion.”--_Dr. Badham._

_Champignon Powder._--Put the champignons in a stew-pan with a little mace and a few cloves, and a sprinkling of white pepper. Simmer, and shake constantly to prevent burning, until any liquor that may exude is dried up again. Dry thoroughly in a warm oven until they will easily powder. Put the dried agaric, or the powder, into wide-mouthed glass bottles, and store in a dry place. It will keep any length of time. A tea-spoonful added to any soup, or gravy, or sauce, just before the last boil is given, will produce a very fine mushroom flavour.

_Pickled Champignons._--Collect fresh buttons of the fairy-ring agaric and use them at once. Cut off the stems quite close and throw each one as you do so into a basin of water in which a spoonful of salt has been put. Drain them from it quickly afterwards, and place them on a soft cloth to dry. For each quart of buttons thus prepared, take nearly a quart of pale white wine vinegar, and add to it a heaped tea-spoonful of salt, half an ounce of whole white pepper, an ounce of ginger-root bruised, two large blades of mace, and a fourth of a salt-spoon of cayenne pepper tied in a small piece of muslin. When this pickle boils throw in the agarics and boil them in it over a clear fire moderately fast, from six to nine minutes. When tolerably tender put them into _warm_ wide-mouthed bottles, and divide the spice equally amongst them. When perfectly cold, cork well, or tie skins and paper over them. Store in a dry place, and keep out the frost.

Full-sized champignons may be pickled exactly in the same way, but will require longer boiling, until indeed they become tender.--_Modified from Miss Acton._

_Champignons quickly Pickled._--Place the prepared buttons in bottles with a blade of mace, a tea-spoonful of pepper-corns, and a tea-spoonful of mustard seed in each, and cover with the strongest white wine pickling vinegar boiling hot. Cork or tie down as before, but do not expect them to keep above three months.

_Agaricus procerus_ (the Parasol Agaric).

_Pileus_ fleshy, ovate when young, then campanulate, and afterwards expanded and umbonate (blunt pointed), from three to seven inches across. Cuticle more or less brown, entire over the umbo, but torn into patches, or scales which become more and more separated as they approach the margin. Flesh white. _Gills_ unconnected with the stem, fixed to a collar on the pileus surrounding its top. _Ring_ persistent, loose on the stem. _Stem_ six or eight inches high, tapering upwards from a pear-like bulb at the root, hollow with a loose pith, whitish brown, but more or less variegated with small and close-pressed scales.

Whenever an agaric on _a long stalk_, enlarged _at the base_, presents _a dry cuticle_ more or less _scaly_, a darker coloured _umbonated top_, _a moveable ring_, and _white_ gills, it must be _Agaricus procerus_, the parasol agaric, and it may be gathered and eaten without fear. When the whitish flesh of this agaric is bruised it shows a light reddish colour.

There are but two other agarics that at all resemble it, and both are edible. One about the same size is _Agaricus rachodes_. It is not generally considered so good in flavour as _A. procerus_. Mrs. Hussey, however, says plainly, “If _Agaricus procerus_ is the king of edible funguses, _Agaricus rachodes_ is an excellent viceroy.” The other is the _Agaricus excoriatus_, a very much smaller fungus, with a more slender habit, a shorter stem, and no true bulb at the base. This elegant little fungus is also very good eating.

The parasol agaric has a very wide range of growth. It is a common fungus, and is in _high request all over the Continent_.

_Opinions on the Merits of Agaricus procerus as an Edible Fungus._--“A most excellent mushroom, of a delicate flavour, and it must be considered a most useful species.”--_The Rev. M. J. Berkeley._

“Were its excellent qualities better known here, they could not fail to secure it a general reception into our best kitchens, and a frequent place among our side dishes at table.”--_Dr. Badham._

“If once tried, it must please the most fastidious.”--_Worthington G. Smith._

There can be no question but that, when young and quickly grown, the parasol agaric is a delicious fungus. It has a light and delicate flavour without the heavy richness which belongs to the ordinary field mushroom. The writer has prevailed on many persons to try it; all without exception have liked it, many have thought it quite equal, and some have proclaimed it superior, to the common mushroom.

_Modes of Cooking the Agaricus procerus._--_Broiled Procerus._--Remove the scales and stalks from the agarics, and broil lightly over a clear fire on both sides for a few minutes; arrange them on a dish over fresh-made, well-divided toast; sprinkle with pepper and salt, and put a small piece of butter on each; set before a brisk fire to melt the butter, and serve up quickly.

If the cottager would toast his bacon over the broiled mushrooms, the butter would be saved.

_Agarics delicately Stewed._--Remove the stalks and scales from young half-grown agarics, and throw each one as you do so into a basin of fresh water slightly acidulated with the juice of a lemon, or a little good vinegar. When all are prepared, remove them from the water, and put them into a stew-pan with a very small piece of fresh butter. Sprinkle with white pepper and salt, and add a little lemon-juice; cover up closely, and stew for half an hour. Then add a spoonful of flour, with sufficient cream, or cream and milk, until the whole has the thickness of cream. Season to taste, and stew again gently until the agarics are perfectly tender. Remove all the butter from the surface, and serve in a hot dish, garnished with slices of lemon.

A little mace, nutmeg, or ketchup may be added; but there are those who think that spice spoils the mushroom flavour.

_Cottager’s Procerus Pie._--Cut fresh agarics in small pieces, and cover the bottom of a pie-dish. Pepper, salt, and place them on small shreds of fresh bacon, then put in a layer of mashed potatoes, and so fill the dish, layer by layer, with a cover of mashed potatoes for the crust. Bake well for half an hour, and brown before a quick fire.

_A la Provençale._--“Steep for two hours in some salt, pepper, and a little garlic; then toss in a small stew-pan over a brisk fire, with parsley chopped, and a little lemon-juice.”--_Dr. Badham._

_Agaric Ketchup._--Place agarics of as large a size as you can procure, but which are not worm-eaten, layer by layer, in a deep pan, sprinkling each layer as it is put in with a little salt. The next day stir them well up several times, so as to mash and extract their juice. On the third day strain off the liquor, measure, and boil for ten minutes, and then to every pint of the liquor add half an ounce of black pepper, a quarter of an ounce of bruised ginger-root, a blade of mace, a clove or two, and a tea-spoonful of mustard-seed. Boil again for half an hour; put in two or three bay leaves, and set aside till quite cold. Pass through a strainer, and bottle; cork well, and dip the ends in resin. A very little Chili vinegar is an improvement, and some add a glass of port wine, or a glass of strong ale to every bottle.

Care should be taken that the spice is not added so abundantly as to overpower the true flavour of the agaric. A careful cook will keep back a little of the simple boiled liquor to guard against this danger: a good one will always avoid it. “Doctors weigh their things,” said a capital cook, “but I go by taste.” But then, like poets, good cooks of this order must be born so; they are not to be made.

_Coprinus comatus_ (the Maned Agaric).

_Pileus_ cylindrical, obtuse, campanulate, fleshy in the centre, but very thin towards the margin. The external surface soon torn up into fleecy scales, with the exception of a cap at the top. _Gills_ free, linear, and crowded. Quite white when young, becoming rose-coloured, sepia, and then black, from the margin upwards. They then expand quickly, curl up in shreds, and deliquesce into a black inky fluid which stains the ground. _Stem_ of a pure white, four to five inches high, contracting at the top, and bulbous at the base; hollow, fibrillose, stuffed with a light cottony web. The bulb is solid and rooting, the ring is movable.

This very elegant agaric has also been called _Ag. cylindricus_, Schœff; _Ag. typhoides_, Bull; and _Ag. fimetarius_, Bolt. It is common throughout the summer and autumn months, on road-sides, pastures, and waste places. It is extremely variable in size. Its general appearance is so distinct and striking, that it cannot possibly be mistaken for any other agaric. It grows so abundantly on waste ground in the dwellings and farm-yards that it may be, says Dr. Bull, called the “agaric of civilization;” and for both these reasons it is most valuable as an edible agaric. If its merits were known, it would be eaten as freely as the common field mushroom.

“The maned mushrooms,” Miss Plues has well said, “grow in dense clusters, each young plant like an attenuated egg, white and smooth. Presently some exceed the others in rapidity of growth, and their heads get above the ground, the stem elongates rapidly, the ring falls loosely round the stem, the margin of the pileus enlarges, and the oval head assumes a bell-shape; then a faint tint of brown spreads universally or in blotches over the upper part of the pileus, and the whiteness of its gills changes to a dull pink. A few more hours and the even head of the pileus has split in a dozen places, the sections curl back, melt out of all form into an inky fluid, and on the morrow’s dawn a black stain on the ground will be all that remains. And so on with the others in succession.”

_Opinions on the Merits of Coprinus comatus as an Edible Fungus._--“Esculent when young.”--_Berkeley._

“Young specimens should be selected.”--_Badham._

“No despicable dish, though perhaps not quite equal to the common mushroom.”--_M. C. Cooke._

“If I had my choice, I think there is no species I should prefer before this one: it is singularly rich, tender, and delicious.”--_Worthington G. Smith._

Dr. M‘Cullough, Dr. Chapman, Elmes Y. Steele, Esq., and some other members of the Woolhope Club, hold Mr. W. G. Smith’s opinion as the result of considerable experience. It must be noted, however, that when too young this agaric is rather deficient in flavour, and its fibres tenacious. Its flavour is most rich, and its texture most delicate when the gills show the pink colour with sepia margins.

_Modes of Cooking the Coprinus comatus._--The best and simplest method is to broil it and serve on toast in the ordinary way. It may be added also with great advantage to steaks and made-dishes, to give flavour and gravy.

_Comatus Soup._--Take two quarts of white stock, and put in a large plateful of the maned agaric roughly broken out; stew until tender; pulp through a fine sieve; add pepper and salt to taste; boil and serve up hot. Two or three table-spoonfuls of cream will be a great improvement.

The agarics for this soup should be young, in order to keep its colour light and good. The maned agaric is recommended on all sides for making ketchup, but here, also, it should be quickly used, and the ketchup quickly made.

_Agaricus gambosus_ (the True St. George’s Mushroom).

_Pileus_ thick and fleshy, convex at first, often lobed, becoming undulated and irregular, expanding unequally; the margin more or less involute, and at first flocculose; from three to four inches across; of a light yellow colour in the centre, fading to almost opaque white at the edges; it is soft to the touch; more or less tuberculated, and often presenting cracks. _Gills_ yellowish-white, watery, narrow, marginate, annexed to the stem with a little tooth: they are very numerous and irregular, with many smaller ones interposed, “lying over each other like the plaits of a frill” (from 5 to 11, Vittadini). _Stem_ firm, solid and white, swelling at the base in young specimens; but in older ones, though usually bulging, they are frequently of even size, and when in long grass they occasionally even taper downwards. This agaric is usually nearly white, smooth, soft, and firm, like kid leather to the touch, and, as Berkeley has happily said, “in appearance it very closely resembles a cracknel biscuit.”

They grow in rings; have a strong smell, and appear about St. George’s Day (April 23), after the rains which usually fall about the third week in April. They continue to appear for three or four weeks, according to the peculiarities of the season. They are usually to be found on hilly pastures in woodland districts.

The St. George’s mushroom cannot well be mistaken for any other. The fact of its appearance at this early season, and growing so freely in rings, when so very few other funguses are to be found, is almost enough to distinguish it. It has, however, very distinctive characters in itself in the thickness of its pileus; the narrowness of its gills, which are very closely crowded together; and the solid bulging stem.

The St. George’s mushroom is not an uncommon agaric in this country, and where it does appear it is usually plentiful--a single ring affording generally a good basket full. It should be gathered when young, or it will be found grub-eaten, for no fungus is more speedily and more voraciously attacked by insects than this one.

_Opinions on the Merits of Agaricus gambosus as an Edible Fungus._--“This rare and most delicious agaric, the _mouceron_ of Bulliard, and the _Agaricus prunulus_ of other authors, abounds on the hills above the valley of Staffora, near Bobbio, where it is called _Spinaroli_, and is in great request; the country people eat it fresh in a variety of ways, or they dry and sell it at from twelve to sixteen francs a pound.”--_Letter from Professor Balbi to Persoon._

“The most savoury fungus with which I am acquainted ... and which is justly considered over almost the whole continent of Europe as the _ne plus ultra_ of culinary friandise.

“The _prunulus_ (_gambosus_) is much prized in the Roman market, where it easily fetches, when fresh, thirty baiocchi--_i.e._, fifteen pence per pound--a large sum for any luxury in Rome. It is sent in little baskets as presents to patrons, fees to medical men, and bribes to Roman lawyers.”--_Dr. Badham._

The _Agaricus gambosus_ “is one that a person cannot well make any mistake about. It sometimes attains a large size, is excellent in flavour, and particularly wholesome.”--_Rev. M. J. Berkeley._

_Mode of Cooking Agaricus gambosus._--“The best mode of cooking _Agaricus gambosus_ is either to mince or fricassee it with any sort of meat, or in a _vol-au-vent_, the flavour of which it greatly improves; or simply prepared with salt, pepper, and a small piece of bacon, lard, or butter, to prevent burning, it constitutes of itself an excellent dish.”--_Dr. Badham._ “Served with white sauce, it is a capital appendage to roast veal.”--_Edwin Lees._ It may be broiled, stewed, or baked.

_Breakfast Agaric._--Place some fresh-made toast, nicely divided, on a dish, and put the agarics upon it; pepper, salt, and put a small piece of butter on each; then pour on each one a tea-spoonful of milk or cream, and add a single clove to the whole dish. Place a bell-glass, or inverted basin, over the whole; bake twenty minutes, and serve up without removing the glass until it comes to the table, so as to preserve the heat and the aroma, which, on lifting the cover, will be diffused through the room. It dries very readily when divided into pieces, and retains most of its excellence. A few pieces added to soups, gravies, or made-dishes, give a delicious flavour.

_Agaricus rubescens_ (Brown Warty Agaric).

_Pileus_ convex, then expanded, cuticle brown, scattered over with warts varying in size. Margin striate. _Gills_ white, reaching the stem, and forming very fine decurrent lines upon it. _Ring_ entire, wide and marked with striæ. _Stem_ often scaly, stuffed, becoming hollow; when old, bulbous. Volva obliterated. The whole plant has a tendency to turn a sienna-red, or rust colour. This is very distinctly shown some little time after it has been bruised.

It is very common all through the summer and autumn months; indeed, one of the most abundant mushrooms; “and it is one of those species that a person with the slightest powers of discrimination may distinguish accurately from others.”--_Badham._

_Opinions on the Merits of Agaricus rubescens as an Edible Fungus._--“A very delicate fungus, which grows in sufficient abundance to render it of importance in a culinary point of view.”--_Badham._

“From long experience I can vouch for its being not only wholesome, but, as Dr. Badham says, ‘a very delicate fungus.’”--_F. Currey_, Editor of Dr. Badham’s “Esculent Funguses.”

_Modes of Cooking the Agaricus rubescens._--It may be toasted, boiled, or stewed in the ordinary way.

_Fried Rubescens._--Place the full-grown agarics in water for ten minutes, then drain, and having removed the warty skin, fry with butter, pepper, and salt. The ketchup made from _Agaricus rubescens_ is rich and good. “As it grows freely, and attains a considerable size, it is very suitable for that purpose, quantity being a great desideratum in ketchup-making.”--_Plues._

_Agaricus nebularis_ (Clouded Mushroom).

“_Pileus_ from two and a half to five inches across; at first depresso-convex; when expanded, nearly flat or broadly subumbonate; never depressed; margin at first involute and pruinose; occasionally somewhat waved and lobed, but generally regular in form; smooth, viscid when moist, so that dead leaves adhere to it; grey, brown at the centre, paler towards the circumference. _Flesh_ thick, white, unchanging. _Gills_ cream-colour, narrow, decurrent, close, their margins waved, unequal, generally simple. _Stem_ from two to four inches long, from a quarter of an inch to an inch thick; incurved at the base; not rooting, but attaching by means of a floccose down round its lower portion and for one-third of its length, a large quantity of dead leaves, by which the plant is held erect; subequal, more or less marked with longitudinal pits, firm externally, within of a softer substance. The _odour_ strong, like that of curd cheese.”--_Badham._

“Common in certain places, but very rare near London. This species comes up late in the autumn on dead leaves in moist places, principally on the borders of woods. The gastronomic excellences of this species are well known. When gathered, it has a wholesome and powerful odour; and when cooked, the firm and fragrant flesh has a particularly agreeable and palatable taste.”--_W. G. Smith._

“The _Agaricus nebularis_ requires but little cooking; a few minutes’ broiling (_à la_ Maintenon is best), with butter, pepper, and salt, is sufficient. It may also be delicately fried with bread crumbs, or stewed in white sauce. The flesh of this mushroom is perhaps lighter of digestion than that of any other.”--_Badham._

_Lactarius deliciosus_ (Orange-milk Mushroom).

_Pileus_ smooth, fleshy, umbilicate, of a dull rufous orange, turning pallid from exposure to light and air, but zoned with concentric circles of a brighter hue; margin smooth, at first involute, and then becoming expanded; from three to five inches across. Flesh firm full of orange-red milk, which turns green on exposure to the air, as does any part of the plant when bruised. _Gills_ decurrent, narrow, each dividing into two, three several times from the stem to the edge of the pileus; of a dull yellow by reflected light, but being translucent, the red milk shines brightly through them. _Stem_ from one to three inches high, slightly bent and tapering downwards; solid, becoming more or less hollow with age; short hairs at the base; sometimes pitted (scrobiculate).

There is no possibility of mistaking this fungus. It is the only one which has _orange-red milk_, and which _turns green when bruised_. These properties distinguish it at once from _Lactarius torminosus_ or _necator_, the only fungus which in any way resembles it.

This acrid fungus (_Lactarius torminosus_) is somewhat similar in shape and size, and is also zoned. But the involute edges of the pileus are bearded with close hairs. It is of a much paler colour, and with gills of a dirty white. The milk, also, is white, acrid, and unchangeable in colour.

The Orange-milk agaric chiefly affects the Scotch fir-tree, and is generally to be found beneath the drip of the branches around the tree. It is also found in hedgerows occasionally, but is most abundant in plantations of Scotch fir or larch.

_Opinions on the Merits of Lactarius deliciosus as an Edible Fungus._--“This is one of the best agarics with which I am acquainted, fully deserving both its name and the estimation in which it is held abroad, it reminds me of tender lambs’ kidneys.”--_Dr. Badham._

“Very luscious eating, full of rich gravy, with a little of the flavour of mussels.”--_Sowerby._

“Cook them well, and you will have something better than kidneys, which they much resemble both in flavour and consistence.”--_Mrs. Hussey._

_Modes of Cooking Lactarius deliciosus._--“The rich gravy it produces is its chief characteristic, and hence it commends itself to make a rich gravy sauce, or as an ingredient in soups. It requires delicate cooking, for though fleshy it becomes tough if kept on the fire till all the juice is exuded. Baking is perhaps the best process for this agaric to pass through. It should be dressed when fresh and pulpy.”--_Edwin Lees._

_Stewed Deliciosus._--“The _tourtière_ (or pie-dish) method of cooking suits _Lactarius deliciosus_ best, as it is firm and crisp in substance. Be careful to use only sound specimens. Reduce them by cutting across to one uniform bulk. Place the pieces in a pie-dish, with a little pepper and salt, and a small piece of butter on each side of every slice. Tie a paper over the dish, and bake gently for three-quarters of an hour. Serve them up in the same hot dish.”--_Mrs. Hussey._

_Deliciosus Pie._--Pepper and salt slices of the agaric, and place them in layers with thin slices of fresh bacon, until a small pie-dish is full; cover with a crust of pastry or mashed potatoes, and bake gently for three-quarters of an hour. If with potato crust, brown nicely before a quick fire.

_Deliciosus Pudding._--Cut the agaric into small pieces; add similar pieces of bacon, pepper, and salt, and a little garlic or spice; surround with crust, and boil three-quarters of an hour.

_Fried Deliciosus._--Fry in slices, properly seasoned with butter, or bacon and gravy; and serve up hot with sippets of toast. A steak in addition is a great improvement.

_Morchella esculenta_ (the Morel).

Every one knows the Morel--that expensive luxury which the rich are content to procure at great cost from our Italian warehouses, and the poor are fain to do without. It is less generally known that this fungus, though by no means so common with us as some others (a circumstance partly attributable to the prevailing ignorance as to when and where to look for it, or even of its being indigenous to England), occurs not unfrequently in our orchards and woods, towards the beginning of summer. Roques reports favourably of some specimens sent to him by the Duke of Athol; and others, from different parts of the country, occasionally find their way into Covent Garden Market. The genus _Morchella_ comprises very few species, and they are all good to eat. Persoon remarks, that though the Morel rarely appears in a sandy soil, preferring a calcareous or argillaceous ground, it frequently springs up on sites where charcoal has been burnt, or where cinders have been thrown.

_Pileus_ very various in shape and hue, the surface broken-up into very little cells, made by folds or plaits of the hymenium, which are more or less salient, and constitute the so-called ribs. These _ribs_ are very irregular, and anastomose with each other throughout; the pileus hollow, opening into the irregular stem. _Spores_ pale yellow. Neither of these funguses should be gathered after rain, as they are then insipid and soon spoil.

“M. Roques says the Morel may be dressed in a variety of ways, both fresh and dry, with butter or in oil, _au gras_ or _à la crême_. The following receipts for cooking them are from Persoon. 1st. Having washed and cleansed them from the earth which is apt to collect between the plaits, dry thoroughly in a napkin, and put them into a saucepan with pepper, salt, and parsley, adding or not a piece of ham; stew for an hour, pouring in occasionally a little broth to prevent burning; when sufficiently done, bind with the yolk of two or three eggs, and serve on buttered toast. 2nd. _Morelles à l’Italienne._--Having washed and dried, divide them across, put them on the fire with some parsley, scallion, chervil, burnet, tarragon, chives, a little salt, and two spoonfuls of fine oil. Stew till the juice runs out, then thicken with a little flour; serve with bread-crumbs and a squeeze of lemon. 3rd. _Stuffed Morels._--Choose the freshest and whitest morels, open the stalk at the bottom, wash and wipe them well, fill with veal stuffing, anchovy, or any rich _farce_ you please, securing the ends, and dressing between thin slices of bacon; serve with a sauce like the last.”--_Badham._

_Hygrophorus pratensis._

“_Pileus_ convexo-plane, then turbinate, smooth, moist; disc compact, gibbous; margin thin; _stem_ stuffed, even, attenuated downwards; _gills_ deeply decurrent, arcuate, thick, distant.”--_Grev. t. 91; Huss. II. t. 40._

Fig. 38 (2). _Hygrophorus virgineus_ (Viscid White Mushroom). Pastures, in autumn; snow-white; diameter, ½ inch to 1½ inches.]

“On downs and short pastures. Very common. _Pileus_ tawny or deep buff, sometimes nearly white, as in the next. Probably esculent.”--_Berkeley._

_Hygrophorus virgineus_ (Viscid White Mushroom).

“_Pileus_ fleshy, convexo-plane, obtuse, moist, at length areolato-rimose; _stem_ stuffed, firm, short, attenuated at the base; _gills_ decurrent, distant, rather thick.”--_Grev. t. 166._ “On downs and short pastures. Extremely common. Mostly pure ivory-white.”--_Berkeley._

This species, exquisite in form and flavour, is one of the prettiest ornaments of our lawns, downs, and short pastures at the fall of the year. In these situations it may be found in every part of the kingdom. It is essentially _waxy_, and feels and looks precisely as if made of the purest virgin wax. The stem is firm, stuffed, and attenuated, and the gills singularly distant from each other; it changes colour a little when getting old, at which time it is unfit for culinary purposes.

A batch of fresh specimens, broiled or stewed with taste and care, will prove agreeable, succulent, and flavorous eating, and may sometimes be obtained when other species are not forthcoming.

“Several allied species enjoy the reputation of being esculent, notably _H. niveus_; and my friend Mr. F. C. Penrose has eaten, and speaks favourably of _H. psittacinus_--a highly ornamental yellow species, with a green stem, sometimes common enough in rich pastures (and _said_ to be very suspicious).”--_W. G. Smith._

_Cantharellus cibarius_ (Chantarelle).

When young its _stalk_ is tough, white, and solid; but as it grows this becomes hollow and presently changes to yellow; tapering below, it is effused into the substance of the _pileus_, which is of the same colour with it. The _pileus_ is lobed, and irregular in shape; its margin at first deeply involute, afterwards when expanded, wavy. The _veins_ or plaits are thick, subdistant, much sinuated, running some way down the stalk. The _flesh_ is white, fibrous, dense, “having the odour of apricots” (_Purton_) or of “plums” (_Vitt._). “The _colour_ yellow, like that of the yolk of eggs, is deeper on the under surface; when raw it has the pungent taste of pepper: the _spores_, which are elliptic, are of a pallid ochre colour.” (_Vitt._) The Chantarelle grows sometimes sporadically, sometimes in circles or segments of a circle, and may be found from June to October. At first it assumes the shape of a minute cone: next, in consequence of the rolling in of the margin, the pileus is almost spherical, but as this unfolds it becomes hemispherical, then flat, at length irregular and depressed.

“This fungus,” observes Vittadini, “being rather dry and tough by nature, requires a considerable quantity of fluid sauce to cook it properly.” “The common people in Italy dry or pickle, or keep it in oil for winter use. Perhaps the best ways of dressing the Chantarelle are to stew or mince it by itself, or to combine it with meat or with other funguses. It requires to be gently stewed, and a long time to make it tender; but by soaking it in milk the night before, less cooking will be requisite.”--_Badham._

_Hydnum repandum_ (Hedgehog, or Spine-bearing Mushroom).

_Pileus_ smooth, irregular in shape, depressed in the centre, more or less lobed, and generally placed irregularly on the stem (eccentric); of a pale buff or cinnamon colour; from two to five inches in diameter. Flesh firm and white; when bruised it turns slightly brown. _Spines_ crowded, awl-shaped, slanting, soft and brittle, varying in size and length, and of a faint cinnamon tint. _Stem_ white, short, solid, crooked, and often lateral.

There is no possibility of mistaking the hedgehog mushroom: when once seen it is always to be remembered. Its awl-shaped spines are crowded beneath the pileus; its size and colour are most marked; it resembles closely, as has been said, a lightly-baked cracknel biscuit in colour.

“This fungus occurs principally in woods, and especially in those of pine and oak; sometimes solitary, but more frequently in company and in rings.”--_Badham._

_Opinions on the Merits of Hydnum repandum as an Edible Fungus._--“The general use of this fungus throughout France, Italy, and Germany, leaves no room for doubt as to its good qualities.”--_Roques._

“When well stewed it is an excellent dish, with a slight flavour of oysters. It makes also a very good _purée_.--_Dr. Badham._

“A most excellent fungus, but it requires a little caution in preparation for the table. It should be previously steeped in hot water and well drained in a cloth; in which case there is certainly not a more excellent fungus.”--_Berkeley._

“A wholesome fungus and not to be despised; but not in the first class as to flavour, requiring the help of condiments. It has the advantage, however, of growing later than most funguses, and may be found up to the middle of November.”--_Edwin Lees._

“One of the most excellent fungi that grows; its flavour very strongly resembles oysters.”--_The Rev. W. Houghton._

_Modes of Cooking Hydnum repandum._--The hedgehog mushroom is dense in structure, and in whatever way it may be cooked, all authorities agree that it must be done slowly at a low temperature until it is tender, and with plenty of stock or white sauce to supply its deficiency in moisture.

_Stewed Hydnum._--“Cut the mushrooms in pieces and steep for twenty minutes in warm water; then place in a pan with butter, pepper, salt, and parsley; add beef or other gravy, and simmer for an hour.”--_Trans. from M. Roques._

“Stew in a brown or white sauce.”--_Mrs. Hussey._

“Cut up in bits about the size of a bean, and stew in white sauce, when it will almost pass off as oyster sauce.”--_The Rev. W. Houghton, F.L.S._

_Agaricus orcella_ (Orgelle or Vegetable Sweetbread).

_Pileus_ thin, irregular, depressed in the centre, lobed, with undulated borders, from two to three inches across. In colour clear white, sometimes tinted with pale brown on its prominences, and occasionally with a grey centre or even lightly zoned with grey. Its surface is soft and smooth to the touch, except in wet weather, when it becomes soft and sticky. The flesh is soft, colourless, and unchangeable. _Gills_ crowded, decurrent, at first nearly white, then pinkish grey, taking at length a light brown tint. Spores pale brown. _Stem_ smooth, solid, short, decreasing in size; central when young, but becoming eccentric from the pileus growing irregularly. _Odour_ pleasant, usually compared to that of fresh meal, but Dr. Badham and others think it resembles more closely the smell of cucumber or syringa leaf.

_Agaricus prunulus_ (Plum Mushroom).

_Pileus_ fleshy, compact, at first convex, then expanded, becoming depressed in the centre, irregularly waved, and slightly pruinose; from two to five inches broad; surface dry, soft, white, or sometimes grey. The flesh thick, white, and unchangeable. _Gills_ crowded, deeply decurrent, at first white, then a pale dull flesh-colour, or yellowish brown. Spores pale brown. _Stem_ white, solid, firm, slightly ventricose, an inch or more long, and half an inch thick; naked, often striate, and villose at the base; often eccentric. _Odour_ like that of new meal, but usually too strong to be agreeable.

There has been considerable confusion, writes Dr. Bull, between the two Agarics _orcella_ and _prunulus_; some thinking that we have only _orcella_ in England (_Dr. Badham_); and others only _prunulus_ (the _Rev. M. J. Berkeley_), and others again that they are both the same fungus, differing only in size. Dr. Badham and some others again confuse _prunulus_ with _gambosus_, the fungus of early spring, and this has arisen from the French term _mousseron_ being often applied to both these funguses; but they are so essentially different as not to be liable in any way to be mistaken for each other. _Agaricus orcella_ and _A. prunulus_ are both placed on the same page in the illustration, so that their close alliance may be seen at a glance. Fries treats them as separate funguses, “in deference to ancient authority, since their differences are chiefly in degree.” These differences are, nevertheless, so well marked, that they are kept separate here. _Orcella_ is a smaller and more delicate fungus than _prunulus_. It is thinner and less fleshy, more undulated in its borders, and has a lighter and more agreeable odour. _Orcella_ grows in more open glades than _prunulus_; it is usually much whiter in colour, sometimes in high situations white and glazed as an egg-shell, or even pottery. _Orcella_ grows more solitary than _prunulus_, in light, scattered groups, showing an inclination for the neighbourhood of oak-trees, and where it does grow it may be found year after year in the same place, but seldom more than two or three in a spot. Last year, 1869, when _orcella_ was pretty plentiful, _prunulus_ was not to be found in the situations where it grows usually most abundantly. _Prunulus_ is the reverse of all this. It prefers more shaded places, is larger, more fleshy, and with a strong odour rather heavy and overpowering. It grows in greater quantities together, and not unfrequently in crowded rings from four to six feet in diameter.

As edible funguses they should certainly be kept distinct. _Orcella_ is light and pleasant in odour, and excellent in flavour: it is so tender and delicate as to be termed, not inaptly, “vegetable sweetbread.” _Prunulus_, on the other hand, though always good, is to many people too strong in odour, and more coarse in taste.

_Opinions on the Merits of Agaricus orcella and A. prunulus._--“A very delicate mushroom.”--_Dr. Badham._ “The flavour of _orcella_ is very delicate, and equal to anything amongst fungi, or rather superior to the majority. The same remarks apply to _prunulus_, which I think is the same thing. It belongs to the first rank of edible fungi.”--_Edwin Lees._

_Modes of Cooking Agaricus orcella and Agaricus prunulus._--_Orcella_ being usually found in small quantities, is best, perhaps, when broiled and served on hot toast. _Prunulus_ will yield an abundance for broiling or stewing, or both. “_Orcella_ should be eaten the day it is gathered, either stewed, broiled, or fried with egg and bread-crumbs like cutlets.”--_Dr. Badham._ “However prepared, it is most excellent; the flesh is firm and juicy, and full of flavour, and whether broiled or stewed, it is a most delicious morsel.”--_Worthington G. Smith._ “_Orcella_ will dry, and may be preserved in this way. It loses much of its volume, but it acquires _un aroma suavissimo_.”--_Vittadini._ _From the Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club._

_Edible Fungi in America._--To give an idea of the rich stores of fungi that spring up in some distant parts of the earth, and in climes so different to ours that one would at first sight suppose such fragile and fugacious bodies as fungi would not abound in them, the following interesting communication from Dr. Curtis, of South Carolina, to the Rev. W. Berkeley is here given. It will prove well worthy the attention of American readers:--

“You have asked me to give you my ‘experience with the eatable mushrooms of America.’ This will be most satisfactorily done, I presume, in pretty much the same style in which I would narrate it to you at your own fireside. My experience runs back only about twelve or fifteen years. You may remember that previous to this period I expressed a fear of these edibles, as I had grown up with the common prejudices against them entertained by most people in this country. Having occasionally read of fearful accidents from their use, and there being abundance of other and wholesome food obtainable, I felt no inclination to run any risks in needlessly enlarging my bill of fare. Thus I had passed middle life without having once even tasted a mushroom.

“But as under your guidance and assistance my knowledge of fungi increased, a confidence in my ability to discriminate species grew up with it, and a curiosity to test the qualities of these much-lauded articles got the better of timidity; and now, I suppose, I can safely say, that I have eaten a greater variety of mushrooms than anyone on the American continent. I have even introduced several species before untried and unknown. From the beginning of my experiments, however, I have exercised great caution, even with species long recognised as safe and wholesome. In every case I began with only a single mouthful. No ill effect following, I made a second essay upon two or three mouthfuls, and so on gradually until I made a full meal of them. Fortunately, I have never blundered upon any kind that was mischievous, although I have eaten freely of forty species. This is due, perhaps, to my general acquaintance with species that have been long used in Europe, and hence I have made no experiments upon new species which had not some affinity or analogy with them.

“For instance, _A. campestris_ and _A. arvensis_ being wholesome, I did not doubt but that _A. amygdalinus_ (a new species closely allied to _A. arvensis_) might be safely attempted, and it has proved equally safe and palatable. Indeed, this may be regarded as the safest of all species for gathering, as it can be discriminated from all others even by a child or a blind person. Its taste and odour are so very like those of peach kernels or bitter almonds, that almost invariably the resemblance is immediately mentioned by those who taste it crude for the first time. This flavour is lost by cooking, unless the mushroom be underdone. When thoroughly cooked I cannot myself distinguish it from _A. campestris_. One or two persons have expressed the opinion that they can distinguish it, and that it is not quite so good. Others, again, are equally positive that it is better. In the crude state I deem it the most palatable of all mushrooms, as it leaves a very agreeable aftertaste upon the palate, fully equal to that of almonds. This is the thing I sent you some years since for cultivation, but which failed to grow. I very much wish it might be propagated in England, so that we might ascertain whether it would undergo any change of qualities in a different soil and climate. I have for some time been entertaining the suspicion that such is the case with many of our species. Thus, in European books the Morel is described as possessing a peculiar flavour, that has given its name to the Morello cherry. I can detect nothing of the sort in our morel. You speak of _A. Cæsareus_ (in _Introd. Crypt. Bot._) as being ‘perhaps the most delicious of all fungi.’ This grows in great quantities in our oak-forests, and may be obtained by the cartload in its season; but to my taste, and that of all my family, it is the most unpalatable of all our fungi, nor can I find many of our most passionate mycophagists who will avow that they like it. I have tried it in almost every mode of cookery, but without success. There is a disagreeable saline flavour that we cannot remove nor overlay.

“In the _Tricholoma_ section, in which are several species long known as edible, I did not hesitate to experiment upon any that had the odour and taste of fresh flour. I began with _A. frumentaceus_, not learning from books whether it had been eaten in Europe. To this I subsequently added three new American species belonging to the same group. All are excellent when stewed, and are especially valuable for their appearance in late autumn, even during hard frosts, when other agarics are mostly out of season.

“Again, there seemed such a similarity of texture and habit between _A. cæspitosus_ (_Lentinus_, Berk.) and _A. melleus_, although the former belongs to _Clitocybe_, that the temptation to a trial of it was irresistible. As it is found here in enormous quantities, and a single cluster will often contain fifty to a hundred stems, it might well be deemed a valuable species in a time of scarcity. It would not be highly esteemed where other and better sorts can be had; but it is generally preferred to _A. melleus_. I have found this species very suitable for drying for winter use.

“Among the _Boleti_ I ventured, in ignorance if it had ever been eaten, to try _B. collinitus_, on account of its close relationship with _B. flavidus_. I am not particularly fond of _Boleti_, but this species has been pronounced delicious by some to whom I have sent it.

“So among the _Polypores_, I had no fear of harm from the use of a new American species (_P. poripes_, Fr.), on account of its relation to _P. ovinus_, in its texture and its flavour. The taste of the crude specimen is like that of the best chestnuts or filberts. It has been compared even with the cocoa-nut, and is certainly of very agreeable flavour. It does not, however, make a superior dish for the table, being rather too dry, but it is innocent and probably nutritious.

“Of the ‘_Merisma_’ group of _Polypores_, having already tried _P. frondosus_, _P. confluens_, and _P. sulfureus_, I ventured, after some hesitation, and with more than usual caution, to test the virtues of a new American species (_P. Berkelei_, Fr.), notwithstanding the intense pungency of the raw material, which bites as fiercely as _Lactarius piperatus_. When young, and before the pores are visible, the substance is quite crisp and brittle, and in this state I have eaten it with impunity and with satisfaction, its pungency being all dissipated by stewing. I do not, however, deem it comparable with _P. confluens_, which is rather a favourite with me, as it is with some others to whom I have introduced it. _P. sulfureus_ is just tolerable; safe, but not to be coveted when one can get better. When I say safe, I mean not poisonous. I cannot recommend it as a diet for weak stomachs, which should be said of some other fungi of similar texture. I am here reminded of an experience I had three or four years ago with this species, which would have greatly alarmed me had it happened at an earlier date in my experiments, and which would probably have deterred anyone unused to this kind of diet from ever indulging in it again. I had a sumptuous dish of it on my supper-table, of which most of my family, as well as a guest staying with us, partook very freely. During the night I became exceedingly sick, and was not relieved until relieved of my supper. My first thought on the accession of my illness was of _Polyporus sulfureus_; but as I remembered that inflammation was one of the symptoms of fungus-poisoning, and I could detect no indications of this in my case, I soon dismissed the rising fear, did not send for the doctor, nor take any remedy. Others, who had partaken of the fungus more freely than myself were not at all affected; and I presume my sickness was no more induced by the _Polyporus_ than by the bread and butter I had eaten. And yet, had I alone partaken of the dish, or had one or two others been affected in like manner, doubtless the night attack would have been very confidently attributed by some to the mushroom; or had this been my first trial of that article, possibly I might ever after have regarded it with suspicion. I learned a few days afterwards from one of our physicians, that this kind of sickness was then somewhat prevalent in the community, and could be attributed to no known cause. For the credit of this species, therefore, we were fortunately able to distinguish the _post hoc_ from the _propter hoc_.

“There are families in America that for generations have freely and annually eaten mushrooms, preserving a habit brought from Europe by their ancestors. In no case have I heard of an accident among them. I have known no instance of mushroom-poisoning in this country, except where the victims rashly ventured upon the experiment without knowing one species from another. Among the families above mentioned, I have not met with any whose knowledge of mushrooms extended beyond the common species (_A. campestris_), called pink gill in this country. Several such families live near me, but not one of them was aware, until I informed them, that there are other edible kinds. Everything but the pink gill, which had the form of a mushroom, was to them a toadstool, and poisonous. When I first sent my son with a fine basket of Imperials (_A. Cæsareus_), to an intelligent physician, who was extravagantly fond of the common mushroom, the lad was greeted with the indignant exclamation, ‘Boy, I wouldn’t eat one of those things to save your father’s head!’ When told that they were eaten at my table, he accepted them, ate them, and has eaten many a one since, with all safety and with no little relish. Since that time our mycophagists eat whatever I send them, without fear or suspicion.

“I have interested myself to extend the knowledge of these things among the lovers of mushrooms, and also their use among those who have not before tried them. In the latter work I am not always successful, on account of a strong prejudice against vegetables with such contemptible names, and an unconquerable fear of accidents. Yet, as in my own case, curiosity often conquers these errors. When away from home I have frequently obtained permission from a kind hostess to have cooked a dish of mushrooms that I have found on her premises. It has rarely occurred in such cases that the dish, then tasted for the first time, was not declared to be delicious, or the best thing ever put in the mouth. This latter phrase was once used in reference to so indifferent an article as _A. salignus_. Indeed, I have found several persons who class this amongst the most palatable species. To such persons a dish of fresh mushrooms need seldom be wanting, as this one can be had every month of the year in this latitude. I am induced to believe that the quality of this species varies with the kind of wood it grows from, and that it is better flavoured when gathered from the mulberry, and especially from the hickory, than when taken from most other trees. Its fitness for the table seems also to depend much upon the rapidity of its growth; those which grow slowly, as is the case with some of our garden vegetables, being of tougher texture and of less delicate flavour. A warm sun after heavy rains brings them out in greatest perfection.

“I have several times been asked by persons eating mushrooms for the first time, whether these things belong to the vegetable or animal kingdom. There is certainly a very noticeable resemblance in the flavour of some of them to that of flesh, fish, or mollusc, so that the question, as founded merely on taste, is not an unnatural one. But I was much struck with its propriety when reading an article in ‘Fraser’s Magazine,’ a few years since, written by the late Mr. Broderip, who therein says that mushrooms contain osmazome. If this be so, it accounts both for their flavour and for their value as food. Of this latter quality I had become so well convinced that, during our late war, I sometimes averred, and I doubt if there was much, if any, exaggeration in the assertion, that in some parts of the country I could maintain a regiment of soldiers five months of the year upon mushrooms alone.

“This leads to a remark which should not be overlooked, upon the great abundance of eatable mushrooms in the United States. I think it is Dr. Badham who boasts of their unusual number in Great Britain, stating that there are thirty edible species in that kingdom. I cannot help thinking that this is an under-estimate. But if the Doctor is correct, there is no comparison between the number in your country and this. I have collected and eaten forty species found within two miles of my house. There are some others within this limit which I have not yet eaten. In the catalogue of the plants of North Carolina, you will notice that I have indicated one hundred and eleven species of edible fungi known to inhabit this State. I have no doubt there are forty or fifty more, as the alpine portion of the State, which is very extensive and varied, has been very little explored in search of fungi.