﻿96' 
  A 
  PLAIN 
  AND 
  EASY 
  ACCOUNT 
  

  

  the 
  papery 
  peridium 
  ; 
  the 
  third 
  species, 
  B. 
  ammopldla, 
  

   is 
  not 
  common. 
  

  

  There 
  is 
  scarcely 
  a 
  dweller 
  or 
  stroller 
  into 
  the 
  country 
  

   that 
  has 
  not 
  seen 
  the 
  giant 
  puff-hall 
  (Ly 
  coper 
  don 
  nigan- 
  

   f< 
  urn), 
  sometimes 
  attaining 
  the 
  size 
  of 
  a 
  child's 
  head, 
  and 
  

   in 
  its 
  earlier 
  stages 
  of 
  a 
  dirty 
  whitish 
  colour, 
  becoming 
  

   browner 
  by 
  age, 
  in 
  which 
  latter 
  condition, 
  if 
  broken, 
  it 
  

   emits 
  a 
  cloud 
  of 
  snuff-coloured 
  impalpable 
  dust 
  Very 
  few 
  

   persons 
  are, 
  however, 
  aware 
  that 
  when 
  in 
  its 
  young 
  and 
  

   pulpy 
  condition 
  this 
  Lycoperdon 
  is 
  excellent 
  eating, 
  and, 
  

   indeed, 
  has 
  but 
  few 
  competitors 
  for 
  the 
  place 
  of 
  honour 
  

   at 
  the 
  table. 
  It 
  is 
  especially 
  esteemed 
  in 
  Italy, 
  and 
  

   would 
  be 
  with 
  us, 
  not 
  only 
  on 
  account 
  of 
  the 
  impossi- 
  

   bility 
  of 
  confounding 
  it 
  with 
  other 
  species, 
  on 
  which 
  

   account 
  the 
  repast 
  may 
  be 
  enjoyed 
  without 
  fear, 
  but 
  also 
  

   for 
  its 
  own 
  intrinsic 
  value. 
  Unfortunately 
  this 
  fungus 
  

   deteriorates 
  very 
  speedily 
  after 
  gathering, 
  and 
  should 
  be 
  

   discarded 
  if, 
  when 
  cut, 
  any 
  yellow 
  marks 
  or 
  stains 
  are 
  

   visible, 
  for 
  then 
  it 
  is 
  too 
  old. 
  When 
  the 
  cut 
  surface 
  of 
  

   the 
  puff-ball 
  is 
  white 
  as 
  snow, 
  then 
  cut 
  it 
  up 
  into 
  slices 
  

   of 
  a 
  quarter 
  of 
  an 
  inch 
  in 
  thickness, 
  and 
  fry 
  it 
  in 
  fresh 
  

   butter, 
  adding 
  according 
  to 
  your 
  taste 
  a 
  sprinkling 
  of 
  

   pounded 
  sweet 
  herbs, 
  pepper, 
  ami 
  salt. 
  Mrs. 
  llussey 
  

   recommends 
  that 
  each 
  slice 
  lie 
  dipped 
  in 
  the 
  yolk 
  of 
  

   an 
  egg 
  and 
  sprinkled 
  with 
  chopped 
  sweet 
  herbs 
  and 
  

   spice. 
  Then, 
  she 
  says, 
  " 
  they 
  are 
  much 
  lighter 
  and 
  

   more 
  digestible 
  than 
  egg 
  omelettes, 
  and 
  resemble 
  brain 
  

   fritt' 
  

  

  Our 
  late 
  friend, 
  11. 
  Ward, 
  Esq., 
  of 
  Chouse 
  Hall, 
  who, 
  

   by 
  the 
  bye, 
  was 
  a 
  connoisseur 
  in 
  edible 
  fungi, 
  writes, 
  

  

  