Oct. 1, 1S66.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



0-7/ 



an excellent addition to soups, stews, and hashes; 

 for which purpose they may be employed either 

 fresh or dried. When fresh, and of a good size, they 

 may be cither fried or stewed with sweet herbs and 

 a chive of garlic. Treated thus they are of easy 

 digestion, delicate flavour, and by some considered 

 far superior to the common mushroom. It is to be 

 regretted that no more zealous effort has been made 

 to cultivate this species ; there exists no impedi- 

 ment that we are aware of, and under cultivation 

 it would, doubtless, improve both in size and 

 flavour. The Eairy-ring champignon is of too dry 



Fig. 214. Section of Mnrasmlus oreades. 



a nature to afford much ketchup, but what it yields 

 is of excellent quality, and a few of these added to 

 other mushrooms would improve the flavour of the 

 sauce. It should not be forgotten that all fungi 

 are liable to speedy decay and decomposition, and, 

 consequently, internal chemical changes. Some of 

 the fatal accidents recorded from eating mushrooms 

 may probably arise from this cause. What in its 

 fresh state would be excellent food, may become 

 dangerous if kept too long. Although the subject 

 of this paper is less liable to speedy change from its 

 drier nature, it is, nevertheless, always advisable to 

 cook all fungi as speedily as possible after they are 

 gathered to prevent unpleasant effects, unless they 

 are suspended and dried for store in the manner 

 we have indicated. Regard being had to our figure 

 and description, we see no fear, or even a possibility 

 of any one mistaking a dangerous species for the 

 true champignon. The species which resemble it 

 most nearly are not found in the same localities, 

 but in woods and amongst leaves ; places where 

 31. Oreades would not be looked for. These in- 

 jurious species it is unnecessary to describe, for if 

 they agreed in one particular with our present 

 description, they would not accord with the others, 

 and the safer plan would be to reject all such as 

 disagreed with the details given. We know full 

 well the potency of the widely-diffused dread and 

 superstitious fear which prevents any other species 

 of fungus, save the common mushroom, from being 

 eaten, except amongst a few enthusiastic myco- 

 phagists. Whilst it is true that the error is com- 

 mitted on the safest side, yet we consider it fostered 



to an extreme. By dint of a questionable duplicity 

 in the first instance, we havelsuccecded during the 

 past year in practically demonstrating to some of 

 our friends, not only that other species are harm- 

 less, but some so delicious that the partakers have 

 not only pardoned the duplicity, but been profuse 

 in expression of their obligations for many a hearty 

 meal to which the rejected species have contributed. 

 Unfortunately the poorer classes in agricultural dis- 

 tricts, to whom a cheap food delicacy would be 

 most acceptable, possess in this case the strongest 

 prejudice, which nothing short of actual and repeated 

 demonstration will remove. 



Another name is also applied locally to our cham- 

 pignon by which it may be known to some, viz., 

 " Scotch bonnets ;" but the resemblance it bears to 

 such an article of northern attire is so remote, or 

 we possess too little of Highland blood, or too 

 scanty a knowledge of Caledonian head-dresses to 

 appreciate the allusion. 



Erom what we have indicated of the history and 

 associations of this little species, it will be admitted 

 to have many claims to our better acquaintance. 

 It appeals to the lover of old traditions, old poets, 

 old poetry, and old poetical associations, as the 

 mushroom of fairy rings in which Oberon held 

 court ; and if it is not the only mushroom which is 

 found growing in rings, it is at least the classic one, 

 as its name Oreades will testify. To the botanist it 

 is of interest, as affording a good type of the 

 genus, and which, on account of its size, can be 

 better studied than most of its congeners. To the 

 epicure it offers a dainty dish such as an emperor 

 would not disdain. To the poorest peasant, with 

 his "bit o' parsley and a ing-un," it proffers a 

 wholesome and welcome meal; and to our readers, 

 let us hope some little instruction has been commu- 

 nicated by our observations on the Fairy- ring 

 Champignon. M. C. Cooke. 



Field Crickets. — On getting well upon the 

 plains, I found every inch of ground covered with 

 field crickets ; they were as thick on the ground as 

 ants on a hill ; the mules could not tread without- 

 stepping on them ; not an atom or vestige of vege- 

 tation remained, the ground as clear as a planed 

 floor. It was about twenty good long miles to the 

 next water, and straight across the sand plains, and 

 for that entire distance the crickets were as thick 

 as ever. It is impossible to estimate the quantity; 

 but when you suppose a space of ground twenty- 

 seven miles long, and how wide I know not, but at 

 least twice that, covered with crickets as thick as 

 they could be packed, you can roughly imagine 

 what they would have looked like if swept into a 

 heap. — /. K. Lord's " The Naturalist in Vancouver 

 Island." 



