2o 

 (M SOME USEFUL AND NOXIOUS FUNGI. 



BY 



FREDK. CURREY, ESQ., M.A., F.R.S., F.L.S. 



24th XOVEMBER, 18S0. 



Having been asked to furnish a short paper for this evening's 

 meeting, I have put togetlier a few remarks upon some different 

 kinds of fungi, which I have thought might be interesting to the 

 members, and perliaps not without novelty for some of them, for 

 the study of fungi is so little pursued, that even to many experi- 

 enced botanists that class of plants is a sort of unknown world. 

 I have divided my observations into two parts, one relating to 

 useful fungi, and the other to noxious ones. In the former I 

 include those which are useful for food, or for medicinal purposes, 

 or which are otherwise utilized ; in the latter, those which exert 

 a deleterious influence either on man, animals, or plants. 



First, ^\'ith regard to those fungi which are useful for food. 

 The number of these is very small. Although many sorts may 

 be eaten with impunity, I do not consider that any species 

 is entitled to be admitted into the edible class, unless, in 

 addition to being innocuous, it is also palatable. Although I 

 am an ardent mycologist, I am by no means an ardent mycopha- 

 gist, and those fungi w^hicli fulfil the two conditions of being 

 wholesome and palatable may, I think, be counted on the fingers, 

 almost on the fingers of one hand. 



First amongst these, facile princciis amongst edible fungi, 

 stands the common Mushroom. Eveiy one knows it, or fancies 

 he knows it, and I never heard of any one to whom Mushrooms 

 were not acceptable. The extent to which they are cultivated, 

 and the value of the crops is far beyond what would be 

 generally supposed. 



There was a trial a few years since in the Sheriff's Court, in 

 London, for compensation i'rom the Metropolitan Eailway Com- 

 pany for the purchase of a ]\Iushroom ground at Kensington. 

 The claim was for £716, and one witness deposed that the 

 expenditure of £50 would, in 12 months or less, produce a 

 return of £200. In France enormous quantities are grown. 



