BEPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST. 



141 



description is scarcely necessary. No serious harm could come, 

 so far as utility is concerned, if it should be confused with the 

 Common mushroom. 



It f^rows in cultivated fields, grassy pastures and waste places. 

 It is occasionally found under trees and even within the borders 

 of thin woods. It has been supposed by some that its spores 

 will not germinate unless they have passed through the alimen- 

 tary canal of some animal. Whether there is any truth or not 

 in such a supposition, it is common enough to find this mushroom 

 growing in places where no trace of the dung of animals can be 

 seen. It appears from July to September. 



A similar mushroom occurs in open places in woods or along 

 the borders of thin woods. The color of its cap and stem is 

 white as in the Field mushroom. Its cap is perhaps a little thin- 

 ner and more fragile, and its stem is usually longer and has a 

 very abrupt or flattened bulb at its base. Its collar is usually the 

 same as that of the Field mushroom, but plants sometimes occur 

 in which it appears to be a single lacerated membrane. Such 

 plants have been referred to the Wood inhabiting mushroom, 

 Agaricus dlvicola ; but its general aflinities seem to me to con- 

 nect it more clusely with Aijaric.us arvoiuLs, to which I would 

 subjoin it as an abrupt variety. Variety ab/'ujdus, the name hav- 

 ing reference to the character of the bulb. I have eaten of this 

 variety and consider it edible. Dried specimens assume a yel- 

 lowish hue. 



Opinions differ concerning the esculent qualities of the Field 

 mushroom. According to Berkeley it is inferior to the Common 

 mushroom, and Badham says its flavor and odor are strong, and 

 it is generally shunned by English epicures. On the other hand, 

 Persoon says it is superior to the Common mushroom in smell, 

 taste and digestibility, and it is, therefore, generally i)referred in 

 France. Vittadini also says it is very delicate and easy of diges- 

 tion, but has a stronger odor than the Common mushroom. 

 " Very sapid and very nutritious," " odor feeble, but flavor anise- 

 like and very agreeable," " delicious when young and fresh, but 

 tough when old," are opinions expressed by various writers. One 

 author says it is edible and of exquisite flavor, and both these ex- 

 pressions have been perpetuated in two of the synonyms of the 

 species, Agaricus edulis Kromh. and Agaricus exqidsUus Vitt. 



