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Ur Kewmau published an account of all the English butterflies, with cuts of 

 them for sixpence, and why should not this be done with edible and 

 poisonous funguses? I think it a feasible project and commend the idea to 

 your consideration '" (hear, hear). This idea of Mr. Lees' did seem to him 

 fe:isible, but the best person to whom he could commend it was a spirited 

 publisher; why not the publisher of Mr. Newman's "Butterflies?" (hear, 

 hear). He had also received a letter from Professor Buckman, from Dorset- 

 shire stating how much he and his family continued to eat and enjoy the 

 St Geor^-e's Agaric, the Champignon, the large Puff-ball, &c., but as this 

 was by no means uncommon, he need not dwell further upon it. A heavy 

 blow and great discouragement had lately been given to the eating of 

 fuimises, and the presence there of his friend Mr. La Touche called upon 

 him" to make some remarks upon the subject (laughter). He had a vivid 

 vecoUection of Mr. La Touche's "Counterblast" against them (laughter). 

 They were aware that an unfortunate gardener had lately presented some 

 mushrooms to a fellow servant with whom he had before had a quarrel. He 

 had wished, doubtless, to make up their differences by presenting her with 

 the most delicious dish he could provide. The result was most unfortunate. 

 The mu,hrooms would seem to have been in bad condition, or not true ones, 

 for the exact facts were not known. The poor girl died, and the man waB 

 committed to trial for murder. He was of course acquitted, and the oppor- 

 tunity was taken of issuing a special warning against the eating of funguses. 

 The worthy Judge, and, at his request, the newspapers generally, took up 

 the subject, and the rules for distinguishing the good from the bad ones 

 were laid down at length. Now, although this was very well meant, he 

 could not help saying that it was very absurd. Such rules can only be useful 

 to those who study the subject, and certainly not to common people, lor 

 them the knowledge of each fungus by its own individual appearance and 

 characters is the only one means of information. They would understand 

 him better if he gave them a practical illustration of what he meant. Sup- 

 pose anyone were to teU Betty Jones, the watercress seller, the proper means 

 of distinguishing watercress from the poisonous water-hemlock or brook- 

 lime by theii- botanical characters, she would stare at him with amazement 

 and either think that he was crazy, or that he wanted to make a fool 

 oi her and most probably the latter; but, supposing her to have the 

 respect due to a customer, she would probably answer, "Lord bless 

 you sir I don't want to know nothing of the kind; I don't want hemlock 

 nor brook-lime; I knows watercress whenever I sees it, and I don t want 

 nothin.' else." And if her monitor is ^vise, he will buy threepenny worth at 

 once (laughter). Now if the time ever should come when Betsy Jones will 

 gather funguses for sale-that is to say, when she may find people wise 

 enough to buy them (langhter)-she will know them by their own characters 

 and not by their differences from others. If she should ever gather and sell 

 the orange milk agaric (Lactarius deliciosuB), for example, and anyone should 



