grassy grounds, and is cliieflY found in wet or showery weather 

 during July and August. 



It is highly praised as an edible mushroom l)y some writers, 

 but to me it is scarcely more than second quality. 



The genus Marasmius is known from all preceding genera of 

 white-si:)ored Agaricineae by the tough texture of the small, thin 

 plants that compose it. They quickly dry or wither, but revive 

 again on the renewal of wet weather, or on the application of 

 moisture. The gills also are thin, and rather tough and flexible 

 like the cap. The stem is slender, tough, and often cartilaginous. 

 It may be clothed with a downy or velvety coat, or be perfectly 

 smooth, glossy or shining. Most of the species are too thin and 

 tough to be of value for eating, but the Fairy-ring mushroom, 

 Marasmius oreades, has long been classed among the edible spe- 

 cies, and long been held in high estimation. Its name has been 

 suggested from its tendency to gTow in circles or arcs of circles, 

 "fairy rings" as they are called. In England the plants have 

 been kno^m as Scotch bonnets. When young and moist the cap 

 is pale yellowish-red or ta^vny-red, but as the moisture disappears, 

 the color fades to pale yellow or buff. 



The gills are broad and wide apart, rounded or deeply notched 

 at the inner extremity and slightly attached to the stem. They 

 are whitish or creamv vellow. 



The stem is rather slender, solid, tough, and covered with a 

 whitish or gra^dsh close and compact tomentum or villosity which 

 can be scraped away, revealing the surface of the stem beneath. 



The cap is generally about an inch across, sometimes more, and 

 the stem is one or two inches long and generally less than a quar- 

 ter of an inch thick. 



The Fairy Ring mushroom loves open gTassy places, and grows 

 especially in lawns, pastures and by the roadsides. It may be 

 found from May to October if sufficiently warm and moist 

 weather should pre^'ail. The following are some of the recorded 

 notices of it: It is very good while young; when young, it may be 

 eaten as an omelet; it has a very agreeable taste and odor and 

 gives a delicious flavor to sauces, but it needs cooking a long time; 

 it is recommended especially as a condiment ; it is delicious when 

 broiled with butter; it may be pickled or dried for future use; 

 it is a very delicious mushroom, and the abundance in which it 

 evervAvhere .grows, makes it a very valuable one; its tendency to 

 toughness is easily overcome by proper cooking. 



One correspondent says that it is excellent for flavoring, but 



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