﻿26 
  A 
  PLAIN 
  AND 
  EASY 
  ACCOUNT 
  

  

  cus 
  prunidus 
  will 
  serve 
  as 
  an 
  example. 
  In 
  the 
  third 
  

   series, 
  denominated 
  Dennini, 
  the 
  spores 
  are 
  ferruginous, 
  

   and 
  sometimes 
  tawny 
  or 
  brownish 
  ; 
  of 
  this 
  series 
  Agari- 
  

   cus 
  matabilis 
  will 
  afford 
  a 
  type. 
  In 
  the 
  fourth 
  series, 
  

   called 
  Pratellce, 
  in 
  which 
  the 
  spores 
  are 
  brownish- 
  purple 
  

   or 
  brown, 
  the 
  common 
  mushroom, 
  Agaricus 
  campestris, 
  

   is 
  included. 
  And 
  of 
  the 
  fifth 
  series, 
  styled 
  Coprinarius, 
  

   in 
  which 
  the 
  spores 
  are 
  black, 
  we 
  have 
  an 
  example 
  in 
  

   Agaricus 
  campanulatus. 
  

  

  Each 
  one 
  of 
  these 
  series 
  contains 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  sub- 
  

   genera, 
  which 
  were 
  formerly 
  considered 
  to 
  have 
  the 
  

   value 
  of 
  genera, 
  but 
  which 
  are 
  now 
  merely 
  retained 
  to 
  

   serve 
  as 
  guides 
  to 
  the 
  synonyms 
  of 
  old 
  authors, 
  or 
  to 
  

   facilitate 
  the 
  grouping 
  and 
  arrangement 
  of 
  species. 
  In 
  

   this 
  work 
  they 
  will 
  all 
  be 
  considered 
  as 
  species 
  of 
  the 
  

   one 
  genus 
  Agaricus. 
  

  

  Under 
  the 
  vague 
  and 
  general 
  name 
  of 
  mushrooms 
  

   several 
  species 
  of 
  fungi 
  are 
  consumed 
  as 
  articles 
  of 
  

   food. 
  It 
  may 
  be 
  true 
  that 
  in 
  some 
  localities 
  only 
  

   one 
  or 
  two 
  species 
  are 
  dignified 
  with 
  the 
  appellation 
  

   of 
  mushroom, 
  whilst 
  all 
  the 
  rest 
  which 
  resemble 
  it 
  in 
  

   form 
  are 
  condemned 
  as 
  toadstools 
  ; 
  yet 
  we 
  believe 
  

   that 
  there 
  is 
  in 
  prospect 
  an 
  age 
  when 
  more 
  of 
  those 
  

   which 
  are 
  really 
  worthy 
  will 
  be 
  admitted 
  to 
  the 
  tables 
  

   of 
  rich 
  and 
  poor, 
  without 
  that 
  accompaniment 
  of 
  

   suspicion 
  and 
  dread 
  which 
  attaches 
  to 
  the 
  dish 
  of 
  

   mushrooms. 
  We 
  accord 
  perfect 
  justice 
  to 
  Agaricus 
  

   campestris, 
  the 
  mushroom 
  of 
  cultivation, 
  whilst 
  more 
  

   delicious 
  kinds, 
  and 
  equally 
  harmless, 
  are 
  allowed 
  to 
  

   flourish 
  and 
  decay 
  year 
  by 
  year 
  without 
  molestation. 
  

  

  