192 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



Another stump mushroom is found in clusters 

 about the base of old trees and stumps with a coarser 

 appearance and of a larger size. It is uniformly of a 

 reddish brown colour, at times and especially when 

 saturated with moisture as dark as a chestnut. The 

 usual diameter of the cap is two or three inches, 

 smooth, and often cracking when dry. The stem is 

 long and spindle-shaped, six or eight inches, tapering 

 very much at the base, fluted, twisted, and contorted 

 in a variety of ways. The gills are broad and whitish 

 at first, but soon become spotted, and at length almost 

 of the colour of the pileus, but the spores are white. 

 It is known as the spindle-stemmed mushroom 

 {Agariais fiisipes), and is not by any means un- 

 common in the late autumn until after the frosts have 

 set in. No one, be he ever such an enthusiast, would 

 claim for this agaric an attractive or pleasing appear- 

 ance, and yet it has long had a reputation as an 

 esculent. As for ourselves, we have preferred giving 

 the precedence to other species which are found at 

 the same period of the year, and, generally, it is our 

 impression that it is much more neglected than it 

 would otherwise be if it had not so many rivals. Dr 

 Badham calls it "an excellent fungus," and says it 

 may be stewed or dressed in the same manner as the 

 common mushroom, but the most approved method 

 is to select young specimens only, and pickle the caps 

 for winter use. A rough and ready method is, Cut 

 off the stems and wash the caps, so as to remove any 



