FUNGUS EATING. I 5 



delicate condiments for less highly flavoured dishes, 

 and might afford a nitrogenous meat-substitute in 

 families of very restricted resources. The chief re- 

 quisite for ensuring these results is the wider diffusion 

 of useful information. In illustration we will quote 

 some pertinent remarks by Dr Curtis, applied by him 

 to the United States, but capable of a wider applica- 

 tion. " Hill and plain, mountain and valley, woods, 

 fields, and pastures swarm with a profusion of good, 

 nutritious fungi, which are allowed to decay where 

 they spring up, because people do not know how, or 

 are afraid, to use them. By those of us who know 

 their use, their value was appreciated, as never before, 

 during the late war, when other food, especially meat, 

 was scarce and dear. Then such persons as I have 

 heard express a preference for mushrooms over meat 

 had generally no need to lack grateful food, as it was 

 easily had for the gathering, and within easy distance 

 of their homes, if living in the country. Such was 

 not always the case, however. I remember once, 

 during the gloomy period when there had been a 

 protracted drought, and fleshy fungi were to be found 

 only in damp, shaded woods, and but few even there, I 

 was unable to find enough of any one species for a meal, 

 so, gathering of every kind, I brought home thirteen 

 different kinds, had them all cooked together in one 

 grdiXxd pot pourri, and made an excellent supper." 



This is further corroborated by an incident narrated 

 by the Rev. M. J. Berkeley. " Our schoohnaster," 



