Agaricaceaa 



Agaricus. flesh. The gills are pink, stem white, solid and bulbous. There is no 

 perceptible odor when fresh." 



Indiana, H. I. Miller, edible, good. 



Specimens sent to me by Mrs. Anthony, though not fresh, were eaten 

 by me. They very much resembled the common mushroom, but proba- 

 bly, owing to their condition, were not so tender. 



I have not found the species. The illustration is after a painting by 

 Mrs. E. C. Anthony, 



A. varia'bilis Pk. variable. (Plate XCI, fig. i, p. 332.) Cap 

 26 in. across, ovate, bell-shaped, irregularly convex and wavy, margin 

 incurved but never striate, smooth, minutely fibrillose, with few remain- 

 ing floccose scales; mature plant pure white, when young distinctly 

 tinged with lilac and here and there with y'ellow when mature, slightly, 

 broadly umbonate and depressed around umbo, cracks along gills. 

 Flesh thick in center, very thin, even membranaceous toward, margin, 

 spongy, unchangeable. Gills free, close, thin, flaccid, ventricose, nar- 

 row next stem, but few short, pure-white when young, then dark-umber 

 without purple tinge. Stem equal, tubed, white, silky, smooth above 

 ring, rippled and minutely furfuraceous (scurfy) below, flocculose-fur- 

 furaceous when young, densely hairy at base, and occasionally slightly 

 expanding, but not bulbous, densely cesp.itose with a coarse, white, 

 root-like mycelium. Veil heavy at first, mottled with yellow scales be- 

 neath ; as cap expands veil becomes thin, like tissue paper, ruptures at 

 both stem and margin leaving torn ring on stem and appendiculate frag- 

 ments on edge of cap. 



Spores shed in great quantity, rich dark umber-brown without shade 

 of purple. 



Taste strong like almond. Smell slightly of musk, like the* running 

 mycelium of A. campester. 



Found at Mt. Gretna, Pa. Charles Mcllvaine. 



I have never found worms in this species. It is very prolific and its 

 habitat shows that it can be cultivated. Its freedom from worms and 

 lasting carrying quality will make it commercially valuable. 



It grew in an old roofless stable from September until after several 

 frosts, in enormous quantity, 25 or 3.0 pounds in a patch. It differs 

 from A. subrufescens in not having a shade of red about it, in its very 

 distinct light-lilac cap when full grown, and in its snow-white youth. 



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