toned at the top iinJ usually wider tlian deep. The peridiuin or liudiHrueiii- 

 briUiaceous, smooth, or very sjiohtly lloeeose, and creamy white at iirst, 

 turning- to pale yellowish-brown when the plant is old. When young it 

 is filled with a white, seemingly homogeneous tleshy substance of pleasant 

 llavor. This substance changes, when mature, to an elastic, yellowish 

 or olivaceous brown, cottony but dusty mass of filaments and spores. 

 The peridium is very fragile above, cracking into arese in the mature 

 plant and breaking up and falling away in fragments, thus allowing the 

 dispersion of the spores. The capillitium antl spores are at first 

 greenish-yellow, turning to dingy olive. The plants vary in size, but 

 average from ten to twenty inches in diameter. In the columns of the 

 CoHittry (rentlenuin. some years ago there appeared a descri})tion of a 

 pull-ball of this species which weighed forty-seven pounds and measured 

 a little over eight feet in circumference. It was found in a low, moist 

 corner of a public park. Specimens weighing from twenty to thirty 

 pounds are recorded as being found in different parts of the country; but 

 specimens of such large dimensions are unusual. This species is found 

 in many parts of the United States. It is the L. bovista of Linn. Sacc. 



A correspondent writes that he has found the giant puflf-ball in great 

 abundance growing on the Genessee Flats, Livingstone Co., New York. 

 Another writes from Nebraska that it is quite abundant on the prairies 

 there in summer. A third writes from Missouri, " Since the late rains we 

 have had pufi'-balls in abundance, and find them delicious made into frit- 

 ters." 



The puflt-balls should be gathered young. If the substance within is 

 white and pulpy, it is in good condition for cooking, but if marked with 

 yellow stains it should be rejected. 



Vittadiui says : 



"When the giant pufi'- ball is conveniently situated you should onl}' 

 take one slice at a time, cutting it horizontally and using great care not 

 to disturb its growth, to prevent decay, and thus one may have a fritter 

 every day for a week." 



Different authors w-rite with enthusiasm of the merits of the giant pufi- 

 ball as an esculent. 



Mrs. Hussey, an English botanist, gives the following receipt for " pufl- 

 ball omelet : " 



First, remove the outer skin ; cut in slices half an inch thick ; have 

 ready some chopped herbs, pepper, and salt : dip the slices in the yolk 

 of an egQ, and sprinkle the herbs upon them ; fry in fresh butter, and eat 

 immediately. 



I have tested tine s})ecimens of the giant puff-ball gathered in the 

 public parks of Washington, D. C, finding it delicious eating when fried 

 in batter. 



