THE EDIBLE BOLETUS. I I I 



across, with a corresponding increase in thickness. 

 The pore surface is a light greenish yellow, paler 

 when young, sunk to a channel round the stem. It 

 often happens that the stem is much deformed, 

 always thick and solid, not less than an inch thick 

 at the top, and twice as thick at the base, commonly 

 five or six inches in length. In colour it approaches 

 a warm ochre, and the upper part of the stem is 

 covered with a minute reticulation or network of fine 

 veins, which are but little darker than the ground 

 colour of the stem, and sometimes so nearly of the 

 same colour as to be scarcely distinguishable. There 

 is a little clamminess about the top of the cap in wet 

 weather, but this is not perceptible when the weather 

 is fine and dry. There is no distinctive odour, and 

 the taste of the flesh, especially when young, is sweet 

 and nutty. When cut through, or broken, the flesh 

 does not immediately, or at any time, become of a 

 deep blue. It will be borne in mind that all the 

 Boleti which change colour to a deep blue when cut 

 or bruised are not only suspicious, but some are 

 strongly poisonous. The same remark may be 

 made of Boleti as of other fungi, that young speci- 

 mens are sweeter and more tender than when fully 

 matured, and that they cannot be too fresh when 

 eaten. "High game" is not applicable to fungi. 

 The edible boletus grows mostly in woods, and is not 

 readily confounded with any other species ; certainly 

 not when it has once been satisfactorily determined. 



