October 29, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF H0BTICULTUB3 AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



379 



found CortinariuB miltinns, equally new to the British flora, 

 tht'Uijh by no means so striking in colour or form. The season 

 of 187-1 has been so dry and unfavourable that finds w^re scant 

 on tbis occasion. The Kev. W. Houghton was the first to find 

 ciuuabariuus, and a cry of joy quickly summoned his co-mates 

 to admire its lovely tints. Smaller groups were afterwards 

 fouud, and so the day's foray was a success. True, Strobilo- 

 myces strobilaceus was not found, though keenly searched for. 

 It ia clear that it does not like dry seasons. But many other 

 interesting varieties yielded themselves to the quest of lynx- 

 es ed foragers — e.g., the pretty and not common Ag. (Amanita) 

 Mappa, the rare Hedgehog Puff-ball Lycoperdon echiuatum, 

 Copriuus picaceus, Ag. nanus, obscurus, ermineus, uuicolor, 

 &c. A stroll was taken on the slopes of Bringewood Hill to 

 search the open ground and examine some curious trees, but as 

 time was nearlj' up the note of recall was sounded, and at the 

 rendezvous of the Castle Bridge a beautiful group of Ag. (PhoUota) 

 heteroclitus was gathered by Mr. Broome from the roots of a 

 Lombardy Poplar. Here a pleasant and welcome hamper turned 

 up, and anon the tired hunters were Fortey-fied and refreshed 

 with the Melton pie, chicken sandwiches, and sparkling Carlovitz 

 which formed its contents. The journey back to Ludlow by 

 Oakley Park and Bromfield Church was singularly bright and 

 cheerful, and this not entirely through pleasant memories of 

 the Carlovitz ; for the suu shone out again to give the climax 

 of its warmth and cheerfulness to the satisfaction of a good 

 day's work. At Bromfield an ample supply of Marasmius 

 oreades and of Lactarius deliciosus was secured for the next 

 day's feast, and so, with laden baskets, the excursionists caught 

 the return trains, after a foray very pleasant and satisfactory, 

 the rain notwithstanding. Though the Fungus season in Here- 

 fordshire is confessedly unfavourable, upwards of a hundred 

 different species were observed in the excursion of Septem- 

 ber 29th. 



The foray of Wednesday was fixed for Dinmore Hill, a locality 

 which had proved so rich and fruitful iuformeryears (see Transac- 

 tions of 1871) that it was deemed advisable to revisit it on the bye 

 day. Nor was the idea a bad one, for many interesting plants 

 rewarded the visitors. The rare Ascobolusviridis, Ag, (CoUybia) 

 plexipes, Pezizarepandaand brunnea were found. Tbe Spba'ria, 

 Cordiceps alutacea, which is very rare, and usually, if not always, 

 in company with Spathularia flavida, was also welcomed. Three 

 specimens of Ag. (Leptonia) euchrous also fortunately yielded 

 thomselves to gathering — an Agaric, as its name imports, of 

 singular beauty, with lovely tints of violet, varying as the light 

 falls upon it. "This has not before been observed in Hereford- 

 shire. Here, too, were found Hygrophorus murinaccus, a great 

 abundance of Ag. (Naucoria) cucumis, and many other very 

 interesting Fungi. 



During the night preceding the grand field-day of the weeki 

 and following the novel introduction into the dinner menus of 

 certain hospitable mansions of salmi de Lycoperdon giganteum, 

 salmi de Lactarius deliciosus, and a sauce for cutlets of Maras- 

 mius oreades, on the evening of the 30th the clouds dropped 

 water to the extent of 11 inch, and there were grave doubts 

 whether the foray to Stoke Edith could come off. Hopeful 

 members — up and doing with the day dawn — were fain to occupy 

 themselves at the tables on which the Fungi were arranged for 

 exhibition at the " Green Dragon," and to postpone a decision 

 until 91-5 A M., when, an adjournment having been moved to the 

 street, it was found to be still raining at 9 30. Adjourning again 

 to the Barr's Court Station at 9.45, their faith and patience were 

 rewarded by a brightening sky, and though occasionally the 

 clouds lowered, and the night's rain had make the atmosphere 

 cold and the ground slippery and treacherous, a very pleasant 

 day requited those who had the courage to venture. Some five- 

 aud-twenty repaired to Stoke Edith by train, where they were 

 joined by the President (the Rev. James Davies), who had been 

 kindly accommodated with a seat in Miss Guthrie's carriage, in 

 which were Miss Guthrie herself, Mrs. Lloyd Wynne, of Coed 

 Coch, and Mr. Washington Jackson. The noble owner of Stoke 

 Edith, Lady Emily Foley, had most considerately placed her 

 head gardener and head keeper at the services of the forayers, 

 and thus the delays arising out of defective and speculative 

 guidance were pleasantly minimised. The short grass of the 

 shrubberies was, as usual, excellent hunting ground ; but the 

 most memorable finds of the day were as follows: — The rare 

 yellow Hygrophorus chrysodon, showing clearly its colours on 

 the slightest bruise; a great profusion of Ag. (Armillaria) 

 mucidus on the Beech trees, in a larger and finer condition than 

 is often seen, the larger specimens being from 4 to 6 inches 

 across; a lovely segment of a circle of the Fly Agaric, 

 Ag. (Amanita) muscarius, too beautiful not to be commemorated ; 

 and a very curious Amanita, not fully grown, which it puzzled 

 the experts to discriminate and determine. It might be a young 

 giant of a Vagiuatus, but the scales were not right, nor was its 

 edgesulcated. Or it might be ayoung Strangulatus or Excelsus. 

 A nut for the mycologists to crack ! An eye must be kept on 

 the spot for future examination. Here also, as on almost every 

 foray, was found the interesting Hygrophorus calyptrieformis ; 



nowhere, however, in great abundance. To those who joined 

 the excursion to Stoke Edith, albeit on a day little favoured by 

 sunshine, there were several other attractions, scarcely secondary 

 to the prime motive of fungologising. 'The flower garden, geo- 

 metrically arranged by Nesfield, is as perfect a thing as can be 

 seen in a long day's survey of parks and gardens. It is oddly 

 brightened, too, when the bloom is yielding to the early frosts, 

 and spiteful winter forecasts its shadow — by the bright red 

 cloaks of the women who weed the gravel paths of varied shape 

 and colour. Beyond its precincts, up a succession of undulating 

 slopes, stretches an auaple deer park, magnificently timbered, 

 and reaching up to the lofty ridge of Seager Hill, whence a 

 carriage drive commands a grand and extensive outlook of the 

 valleys and hills of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and South 

 Wales. Beneath it, southward, lijs the Woolhope country, 

 which seems to say to the club followers, whom it has christened, 

 " Antiquam exqitiritematrem." For the mmsion itself, its hall, 

 library, pictures, and tapestry — the last exceedingly curious and 

 well worthy of miuute inspection — our readers may refer to the 

 " Mansions and Manors " of the President elect. Oar space at 

 present admonishes us to take wing, in thought, for Hereford, 

 where — despite the charms of Stoke Edith — a committee meet- 

 ing awaits the President of 1873 and 1874, to say nothing of the 

 feast and the presentation, which attract as great an interest for 

 many as the forays. 



Amongst the Fungi on the " Green Dragon " table we noticed 

 specimens of the Ag. mucidus, measuring half an inch more 

 than the largest of those at Stoke Edith ; and a splendid sample 

 of the lovely Peziza aurantia (81 inches across)— both sent from 

 Shobden by Lord Bateman. Mr. Houghton exhibited from the 

 Fir plantations of Chetwynd Park, where he has found them year 

 after year, failing last year only, a good specimen of Sparassia 

 crispa. Dr. Chapman contributed from the pastures about 

 Hereford a magnificent group of Ag. (Volvaria) gloiocephalus, 

 each Agaric being 10 inches high, with pilea 17 or 18 inches in 

 circumference. 'The odour of them is not nice. Near these also 

 was Agaricus Junonius. Mr. Berkeley had sent Leotia circinans, 

 received by him from Scotland; and from Abergavenny Dr. 

 McCullough had brought Lactarius controversus, on which he 

 alighted tbe next day again growing, abnormally we should say, 

 under a Lombardy Poplar. Radulum fdgineum, Lactarius 

 vitellinus, which Mr. Worthington Smith declines to recom- 

 mend as edible, however fond of veal some non-Woolhopians 

 may be, and one or two other somewhat rare plants excited and 

 satisfied curiosity. Amongst exceptional contributions to the 

 Fungus Exhibition were a fresh-water sponge from the river 

 Teme, sent by the Messrs. Fortey, and some gigantic rhizomes 

 of the Water Lily, brought by Mr. William Phillips. Amidst 

 this class, had it not miscarried, would have been exhibited a 

 splendid box of the choicest Pears of English growth, sent to 

 the President by Mr. Richard Doddridge Blackmore, M.A., of 

 Exeter College, Oxford, poet, novelist, and market gardener. 

 They might have taught the visitors to the " Green Dragon" to 

 discriminate between the Beurrcs and the Doyennes, Louise 

 Bonnes, and Marie Louise, and distracted the lovers of Fungus 

 forms by the weightier claims of pomology. The feast, and the 

 soiree which followed it, were as successful and cheery as their 

 predecessors ; and what between the presence of ladies and the 

 festive board, an unanimous delight in the unfeigned surprise 

 of Mr. Worthington Smith at the recognition of his constant 

 services, a pleasant memory will long invest the evening of the 

 1st of October, 1874. 



After the great Fungus dinner, when great tureens of Copri- 

 nus comatus soup, Lactarius deliciosus, and Boletus edulis were 

 served, and after the health of the Queen had been drunk, 



The Pkesident (Rev. James Davies) rose and introduced the 

 next business of the evening, which he was sure would take no 

 one there by surprise, unless it was, as he hoped and trusted, 

 the person most concerned. As he had been in communication 

 with most of his hearers on the subject, he might at once dash 

 ill medias res, and state that some three weeks ago a happy 

 thought occurred to Dr. Bull (who, with his usual kindness, 

 admitted him into the partnership of it) that the Club ought no 

 longer to leave unrecognised and unacknowledged the great and 

 gratuitous services of Mr. Worthington G. Smith as its " Myco- 

 logical Professor," and as one who was ever ready to assist their 

 studies with his pen, his pencil, and his head. Among the 

 literary men he (the President) had met, there were two promi- 

 nent types — the hoarders of their knowledge, who lived in dread 

 of *'a chiel amang them takin' notes," and the generous and 

 unselfish communicators anddiffusers of the information which 

 they have amassed by patient inquiry. One example of the 

 latter type was the late Sir George Lewis ; another, in his way 

 and walk of science, was Mr. W. G. Smith. Every Woolhopian 

 knew he could count upon the free use of Mr. W. G. Smith's 

 experieoee, and of his very extensive and accurate information. 

 Having himself realised this during his two-years presidency, 

 he (Mr. Davies) readily undertook to co-operate with Dr. Bull in 

 sounding the members of the Club, by letter or word of mouth, 

 with reference to a testimonial, marking the sense of their 



