ON THE PROBABLE IDENTITY OF AGARICUS GEORGII 

 AND AGARICUS CAMPESTRIS. 



By Mb3. key (Read by the Eev. H. COOPER KEY). 



We who live in the country and are accustomed, in more or less degree, 

 to notice the vegetable productions around us, know that besides the usual 

 eatable mushroom, called by botanists Agaricus campcstris, or field mushroom, 

 there are very commonly found under trees, near hedges or buildings, and 

 occasionaUy in open spots in the fields, large, clumsy mushrooms with very thick 

 caps and stems, often stained slightly with yellow, and pale duU pink gUls, 

 which at first are almost white ; and these, caUed in botanical books Agaricus 

 Georgii, or St. George's Agaric (Hooker) are regarded with much suspicion, and 

 always rejected by prudent cooks, as unfit to eat. 



I have observed some facts in the last few years, which make it appear 

 probable that the A. Campcstris and A. Georgii are really one and the same plant, 

 altered by some of those circumstances of habitat, weather, &c., which have so 

 mueh effect on funguses generally, and as I have never met with any remarks on 

 the subject, I venture to think they may be worth notice. 



A few years ago, a ring under a tree, not a hundred yards from Stretton 

 rectory, produced in the early part of summer a crop of these large, thick, 

 pale-gilled Agarics, which the cook of course pronounced unwholesome and 

 useless for the table. Two months later, the same ring produced a second and 

 very abundant crop, but this time it consisted of undoubted and very fine A. 

 campcstris tovix to sis inches across, thin, slender-stemmed, and with fully-coloured 

 gills. They were cooked without hesitation, and were excellent. In previous 

 and subsequent years, this ring has always borne A. Georgii of the most decided 



type. 



Last year (1866), in the same meadow, but in a part far away from any 

 hedge or tree, the reverse occurred : a large fairy ring, hitherto always 

 producing small, highly-coloured and flavoured mushrooms of the best type, was 

 crowded with comparatively small A. Georgii, and this variety appeared in a 

 third spot of the same meadow, near a tree, where two years ago very good and 

 fine A. campcstris grew. 



Further, in an adjoining field there grew, five or six years ago, in a ring 

 near the hedge, a very abundant crop of the dark-brown variety of A. campcstris, 

 with slender stems, and caps quite thin and flat on reaching their full growth j 

 last year (1866) this ring had A. Georgii growing in it. 



The A. Georgii variety appeared unusually plentiful in 1866. I noticed 

 scattered specimens in quite open fields where A. Campestns would have been 

 expected, as it more often grows in a detached manner than the so-called Georgii. 



Every degree of colour and comparative thickness of cap and stem could 

 in September 1866, be found in the same meadow. 



k2 



