MUSHROOMS. 499 
as the Pratella) is held in very small esteem; and the worst 
wish an Italian can express against his foe is “ that he may die 
of a Prateola.”’ If this species were exposed for sale in a Roman 
market, it would be certainly condemned by the inspector of fungi. 
The Mushroom is styled in general a fungus, from the Latin 
“* funus ago,” I cause a death. Nevertheless, Mushrooms were 
exalted to the second course on the Cesarean tables, with the 
noble title Bromotheon, ‘“‘a dainty fit for the gods,” (to whom 
they sent the Emperor Claudius, as they have many since into 
the other world.) So true it is, ‘““ He who eats Mushrooms several 
times ‘ nil amplius edit, —eats no more of anything.” In every 
case Mushrooms should be cooked very slowly. Place them 
in a pie-dish with plenty of salt, and butter, adding in some 
cases a little water; also, if liked, parsley, onion, garlic, or other 
condimentary herbs. The common Mushrooms (Agaricus 
campestris, and Agaricus arvensis) will take an hour and a half 
to be properly cooked after this fashion. Of all animal and 
vegetable matters, there are three only which possess the principle 
of sapidity in the highest culinary and gustatory sense, viz., 
meat, cheese, and mushrooms. This sapid principle is an 
alkaloid, or a series of alkaloids, which is practically designated 
as osmazome. The usual field Mushroom (Agaricus campestris) 
is ordinarily eaten at two stages of its growth,—one when it has 
just risen from the mycelium, and is small, with its hymen still 
closed, and then styled a button ; and the other when it is just 
expanded, its hymen forming a ring round the stalk, and the 
spore-bearing ridges making a rosy lining to the expanded 
umbrella. To be valuable, Mushrooms should appear plump at 
both these stages. If the spores have turned black, then the 
Mushrooms are over-ripe. Flabby, leathery, fissured, black- 
lined Mushrooms are to be avoided. The poisonous kinds 
possess permanently white gills, which do not touch the stem, 
whilst a thin ring, or frill, is borne by the stem at some distance 
from the top, and the bottom of the stem is surrounded by a 
loose sheath, or vulva. For poisoning by noxious Mushrooms, 
antidotes can be injected under the skin, whilst very small doses 
of strychnia are to be given in coffee. 
The Puff-ball (Lycoperdon giganteum bovista) grows usually 
on the borders of fields, in orchards, or meadows, also on dry 
downs, and occasionally in gardens. It is so called from the 
habit of puffing out, or suddenly discharging a cloud of dusty 
