225 



to be dangerous as an article of food. This is a mistake ; it Is perfectly whole- 

 some, and when grown quickly is thought by some members of the Woolhope 

 Club to be equal to that smaller pattern of itself, the common mushroom. 

 As a general rule it is, however, very inferior to it in flavour, and of a more 

 dense and indigestable structure ; good, when a better cannot be got, and this 

 remark applies just as strongly to it a.% a catsup mushroom as for its edible 

 qualities. 



Lepista personata,W. Smith. 'Blewits', or the Lilac-stemmed Agaric— This 

 mushroom takes its English name from the blue colour of its stem. It is not so 

 common iu Herefordshire as in many other counties, but is valuable as an 

 Edible Fungus from the late period of the year at which it continues to grow. 

 It is in season when most of the others are gone, and thus has a special value to 

 real mushroom eaters. " It has an agreeable tiste," says Dr. Badham; " when 

 not watersoiked it is a fine, firm fungus, with the flavour of veal, like which it 

 is to be dressed en pipilloUcs with savoury herbs and the usual condiments, 

 and the more highly it is seasoned the better." 



Lepista nuda W. Smith. The Amethyst Lepista, is also equally late in season 

 and much more common in this county. It is still more blue than " Blewits." Its 

 gills are often of an exquisite violet tint, and the colour very frequently pervades 

 the whole mushroom, especially at a late period of the year. In the grounds of 

 "Whitfield and the woods of Dinmore it is often of a dull, deep blue throughout 

 its structure. 



An excellent mode of cooking Lepista nuda and Lepista personata, and one 

 suited to the late period of the year at which they are found, is the following : 

 33. Corried Mushrooms. 



Place a lump of butter in a frying pan with a sufficiency of gravy or milk, 

 and a little curry powder, fry for 7 or 8 minutes, then throw in the sliced Agarics ; 

 fry gently for 10 minutes, and serve up quickly with sippets of toast. 



Agaricus nebnlaris Batsch. The Clouded Mushroom, which bears a high 

 repute for " its agreeable taste " (Bulliard). " When properly cooked," says 

 Sanguinetti, " it is equal to any of our Funguses"; and "lighter of digestion, 

 perhaps, than any other," adds Dr. Badham. 



Single specimens are found in our woods, as at Haywood Forest, Mynde 

 Park, Dinmore Woods, and probably many others. 



Agaricus fusipes Bull. Spindle-stemmed mushroom, which, " when 

 properly pickled has not many rivals," says Badham, is very common. 



The Russula?, "like craw fish when grilled," are common in Herefordshire. 

 Bussula keterophylla. B. virescens and B. alutacea, are to be found in most of 

 woods. 



Nor is Herefordshire altogether wanting in the production of the more 

 celebrated Epicurean Funguses. 



Tuber cestivum Vitt. The Truffle grows annually in the grounds of Holm 



