mnshroom, occnrs in the borders of woods or in open places in 

 thin woods. It differs from the Field mushroom in its thinner 

 cap, its longer stem, and in having an abrupt flattened bulb at the 

 base of the stem. Its collar generally resembles exactly the collar 

 of the Field mushroom, but plants sometimes occur in which it ap- 

 pears to be a single lacerated membrane. For this reason the 

 plant has sometimes been referred to the Wood-Inhabiting mush- 

 room, Agaricus silvicola. But its affinities appear to me to con- 

 nect it more closely Avith the Field mushroom, and I prefer to 

 regard it as a variety of that species, and give it the name Abrupt 

 variety, var. abruptiis, in alhision to the joeculiar character of 

 the bulb. It occurs in summer and autumn. I have eaten it and 

 know it to be edible. 



The Slightly Heddish mushroom, Agaricus suhrufescens, 

 when compared with the Common mushroom, will be found to 

 differ in its thiimer cap, in the very young gills being whitish, in 

 its longer hollow stem, which is frequently thickened or some- 

 what bulbous at the base, in its collar which is sprinkled with 

 minute flocculent tufts beneath, and in the slender branching 

 strings of its mycelium. It is quite as large as the Common 

 mushroom. The color of the cap varies from whitish to gray or 

 dull reddish-brown, and the color of the gills passes from whitish 

 to pinkish, and finally to blackish-brown. It has been success- 

 fullv cultivated, and was found bv Mr. AV. Falconer in a wild 

 state, growing on a compost heap composed chiefly of leaf mold. 

 It is manifestly a rare species, but jDrobably a valuable one, be- 

 cause of its capabilities as a cultivated species. It may be culti- 

 vated through the summer months, when the cultivation of the 

 Common mushroom often ceases to be profitable because of high 

 temperature and the attacks of insects. It was found wild in 

 antmnn. 



Wliile approaching slightly the European Reddish variety of 

 the Common mushroom, A. campester var. rufescens, in the 

 slight reddish tints sometimes seen on its cap, it at once and de- 

 cidedly differs from that plant in its flesh, which does not assume 

 a red color when cut or broken. 



The Bleeding mushroom, Agaricus liemorrlwidarius, is easily 

 known by the character which has suggested its name. When 

 its flesh is cut or broken, the part thns exposed promptly as- 

 sumes a dull red color, as if blood were about to issue from the 

 wound. Mere bruises of the cap, stem, or gills often cause this 

 change of color. This also is a very rare species. In all my col- 

 lecting, I have met with it but once. It is also a very uninviting 



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