October 8, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



263 



which he hira<ielf had bronRUt. These wore the C. pyrenrous of 

 Herbert, or C. nudiflorns of Hooker, which is naturalised in Lancashire, 

 and aUo to bo fonnd in meadows in Warwickshire; C. byzantinus, 

 otherwi-io C. iridifloms, an extremely Iieantiful Crocus which simulates 

 the Flag or Iri.^, the corolla standiuc np, while the sepals full down- 

 wards ; C. lon;;itiorus, and C. spcciocus. also of very great beaut)'. 

 These four Crocnses follow each other in succession, beginning to 

 flower in September and ending in midwinter. They were published 

 by Dean Herbert in his " Crotrornm Synopsis," and the specimens 

 exhibited were raised from seed given to bim (Major Clarke) by the 

 Dean's brother, Mr. Algernon Herbert. Major ClurUn then pointed 

 out a Solaunm raised from seed sent homo by Dr. Jamieson from 

 the Peruvian Andes, and remarkable for the beauty of its orange 

 fruit, which was used as an ornament for the hair by the ladies of the 

 oauntry. 



Mr. Ligglns said that the plant was a common weed in Montserrat, 

 covering many acres of ground. There were two kinds, one of which 

 had fruit three or four times the size of that on the plant exhibited, 

 and when seen in the sunshine the effect was very striking. Another 

 was known as the Prickly Apple. 



Major Clarke remarked that there were many species of Solanum 

 with ornamental fruit, and instanced one with scarlet frnit, which had 

 l^een raised from seed sent to liim as that of the true Scarlet Egg Plant 

 or Brinjal.' Begonia weltouensis, noticed in our Floral Committee 

 report, was then referred to, and Major Clarke said his reason for 

 doing so was that the plant had been attributed to him, instead of 

 which it was the property of Mr. Arthur Henderson, to whom he had 

 given the seeds. At the close of his remarks, Major Clarke exhibited 

 a flower raised from seeds sent to him as those of Dahlia imperialis, 

 a miserable specimen of a common small-flowered Dahlia. 



Dr. Bull, in rising to make some observations on the Fungi exhi- 

 bited, said that he laboured under the great disadvantage that ho had 

 not expected to be called upon to undertake such a task. One of the 

 main objects of his attending the meeting had been to hear Mr. 

 Berkeley, therefore those who were present could not be more disap- 

 pointed than he was himself at Mr. Berkeley's being under the necessity 

 of going away. A prejudice existed with regard to Fungi, which 

 caused difliculties in approaching the subject, but it was extraordinary, 

 though the ground was teeming with food in the shape of Fungi, that 

 these should be wasted. The first species to which he would direct 

 attention was Fistulina hepatiea, '" the Vegetable Beefsteak." This, 

 as stated on the label attached to it, is the best possible addition to a 

 beefsteak, and a beefsteak in itself if properly cooked. If prepared 

 by a good cook along with ordinary gravy, anyone would believe it to 

 be a beefsteak. Another Fungus, very different in its character, was 

 the Pnffball, Lycnperdon giganteum, of which the Chairman exhibited 

 specimens. Three weeks ago he had seen one ?>\ feet in circumference, 

 and weighing (> lbs. Sliced and frittered, or in whatever way cooked, 

 it acts as a vegetable egg. His belief was that all Puffballs in a 

 young state are really edible, but their growth being so rapid, there is 

 a corresponding rapidity of decay, and when that commences they are 

 unwholesome, though they would not be so if taken young enough. 

 Certainly some inconvenience from eating Scleroderma vnlgare had 

 been lately recorded, but the specimens, no doubt, were rather old. 

 Although all Fun.gi were not fit for food, it would be a very unusual 

 oocnrrence for him not to be able to go out in the autumn months 

 and bring home some Fungus good to eat, though he did not mean 

 to affirm that every one would be equal to the common Mushroom. 

 Still there were some, Agaricns procerus (the Parasol Agaric), for in- 

 stance, which he thought superior to the ordinary' Mushroom ; and in 

 different species there was a considerable diversity of flavour. The 

 Chainnan had brought the finest specimen'of A. procerus in the room, 

 as far as size was concerned, but it would not be so for ilavonr. for 

 when so large this Agaric was only fit for catsup. It should be small, 

 and then it was lighter and more digestible than the ordinary Mush- 

 room. It might be cooked in any way, and was excellent in all. It 

 was distinguished by a loose ring and the snake scales on the stem. 

 In the prize collections it was to be seen in all its characters. A. 

 (Lepiota) naucinus next came under notice, and Dr. Ball related 

 that he and some friends had partaken of it, and very much enjoyed 

 it, thinking that it was A. procerus, but finding the tlavour not quite 

 that of A. procems, they examined the specimens and found them to 

 be A. naucinus, and this he stated to be a delicate Agaric, which may 

 be cooked in all the ordinary ways. Next he came to the Maned 

 Agaric, Copriuus comatus, about which there could he no possible 

 mistake. It might be found during four or five months in the year 

 by the sides of byeways, and in waste places ; its abundance was ex- 

 traordinary. As the label stated, it has a delicate flavour, and when 

 boiled in the ordinary way and served on toast is thought by many 

 connoisseurs equal to any Agaric grown. It requires to bo eaten in a 

 young state. 



The Horse Mushroom, Agaricns arvensis, was next referred to, 

 ani Dr. Bull stated that, on passing through Covent Garden, for the 

 one or two dishes of the common Mushroom (A. campestris). which he 

 saw, there were dozens of the Horse Mushroom, which, however, was 

 perfectly harmless, and might be cooked in every way like the Common 

 Mushroom, and by many was thought equally delicious. It requires, 

 however, rather more time. The Fairy Ring Champignon, Marasmius 

 oreades was also exceedingly good when cooked as follows : — Put the 

 Agarics on toast ; salt, pepper and batter (or add a little clotted or 



scalded cream), put a clove on the toast, cover with a glass, and bake 

 or broil before the tire for twenty minutes. Serve np without removing 

 the cover. Agaricns prunuhn, called by some Vegetable Sweetbread, 

 which also grows in fairy riugn, was called by Badham " the dainty 

 Orcella." It was a delicate kind requiring light cooking. A friend of 

 his (Dr. Bull's) said that every Fungus found growing in fairy rings 

 was wholesome, but there were some; which if so were not good. 



Passing from edible to poisonous Fungi, Dr. Bull remarked that the 

 proportion which the latter boar to the former is not greater than that 

 of poisonous to wholesome plants. Poisonous plants were known and 

 avoided, and it was just that knowledge which was required with 

 regard to Fungi. Just as people did not go and pick up every plant 

 for use, BO one ought not to gather the first Fungus ho might meet 

 with. The knowledge was easily acquired, and through the aid of Mr. 

 Smith's excellent plates " fungophagy " was spreading very fast. 

 Still he (Dr. Bull), thought the Koyal Horticultural Society had done 

 exceedingly well to encourage an exhibition of Fungi, for though 

 figures and descriptions in books wore very useful, they were not equal 

 to the actual specimens. 



Noticing a few more edible Fungi, Dr. Bull held up a specimen of 

 the Cantharellus cibarius, the true Chanterelle, and said that if one 

 gave an entertainment the French cook would ask for the Clianterelle, 

 and guineas would probably have to be paid for that which should only 

 cost shillings, as the Chanterelle grows abundantly near Loudon. As 

 stated on the label, it is excellent in every way. By itself, sliced and 

 stewed with butter, pepper, and salt, it makes an excellent dish with a 

 Mushroom flavour. An allied Fungus bearing considerable resem- 

 blance to the preceding, was then exhibited ; but though it might ba 

 mistaken for the Chanterelle, no harm, it was said, would result. 



Several poisonous Fungi were then briefly noticed, and among them 

 Boletus luridns. The next was one startling for its beauty — namely, 

 Agaricns mu3carius, than which Dr. Bull said he did not know any- 

 thing more beautiful in nature, especially the specimens sent by Mr. 

 Reeves. It was one of the most poisonous Fungi known. Dr. Badham 

 had sent it to some ladies to be sketched, intending to call on them 

 and speak to them about it. but was prevented from carrying out his in- 

 tention by an urgent case. The ladies, thinking that what came from Dr. 

 Badham was sure to be good, after sketching ic had it cooked, partook 

 of it, and when Dr. Badham came they had been carried to bed intoxi- 

 cated by its action. In fact, this Agaric was used in Russia for the 

 purpose of producing intoxication. If cooked at all, however, it lost a 

 portion of its poison. In conneftion with this fact, he would mention 

 that there was once a doctor in Paris who undertook to eat any Fungi 

 brought to him. but before cooking them they were soaked in vinegar 

 and water, and he then ate them ivith impunity. Other poisonous species 

 were A. fascicnlaris, which is commonly met with ; A. sulphureus, 

 rare ; A. squarrosus extremely beautiful ; and three very interesting 

 Fungi were Cyathus vermicosus, C. striatus, and Sph^robolus stellatus- 

 Among species gay in colour, there were the scarlet Peziza and Rus- 

 sula rubra. Bulgaria inquinans, which is found on the bark of trees, 

 was also exhibited to the meeting 



Dr. Bull concluded a long and very interesting discourse by ob- 

 serving that unless the educated classes could he induced to eat 

 Fungi, the poor would never be brought to do so. In his own neigh- 

 bourhood the Field Naturalists' Society had taken up the subject, in 

 consequence of the action taken by the Koyal Horticultural Society- 

 Kxample was better than precept. 



Mr. W. G. Smith said ho would make a few remarks on the seeds 

 or spores of Fungi, as Dr. Bull had not touched on that subject. 

 Nearly all the Fungi with white seeds were edible, and in form such 

 seeds were generally roundish, or roundish oval, whilst the poisonous 

 Fungi generally assumed forms of angular outline, and one of those 

 exhibited had spores which seemed as if covered all over with spikes. 

 The colour of the seeds of Mushrooms was generally that of the gills, 

 and all pink seeds generally were angular in their inm. "With re- 

 gard to Agaricns muscarius, he would add that he had never found it 

 anywhere but under Birch trees. 



Mr. Blenk-ins moved a vote of thanks to Dr. Bull and Mr. Smith, 

 which was seconded by Major Trevor Clarke, the latter remarking 

 that the meeting had been one of the most interesting S'.a/ices at 

 which he had been present. The motion having been onanimonsly 

 carried. Major Clarke called attention to a process by which the 

 curious frail Agarics are preserved in the greatest possible perfection, 

 and which it was stated was devised by Mr. English, of Epping, who 

 exhibited examples of several species. 



In addition to the species of Fungi noticed above Dr. Bull had 

 Hydnum repandum, of which Mr. Berkeley has stated that there is 

 not a more excellent Fungus when steeped in hot water, drain-^d in a 

 cloth, and cooked in the ordinary way ; Lactarius deliciosus. the Orange 

 Milk Agaric, stated by Badham to be tender as lambs' kidnvys, and 

 for cooking which Soyer has given directions ; Agaricns rachodes ; 

 Gomphidius viscidus. a mucilaginous species ; and Agaricns melleng, 

 which should be steeped in vinegar and water for half an hour, then 

 peeled, and fried with butter, pepper, and salt, with the addition of a 

 little Hervey sauce and a clove or two. 



Mr. Smith's collection comprised a large number of species, both 

 edible and poisonous; and J. C. Reeves, Esq., Huntslind, Worthy 

 Sussex, and J. R. Reeves, Esq., sent several fine specimens, some of 

 which have been referred to above. 



