66 A PLAIN AND EASY ACCOUNT 



may be gathered in a day." They may also be readily 

 dried by stringing the caps together on a thread and 

 suspending them in a dry kitchen, and when thoroughly 

 dried may be kept in close tins. Only a month or two 

 since the same gentleman, whose name we have already 

 mentioned, directed attention to this species in the pages 

 of the Gardeners Chronicle, in terms of strong com- 

 mendation. Indeed, we could not mention a species the 

 evidence in whose favour is so strong, and yet bushels 

 are allowed to decay every year, whilst scarce a single 

 mushroom of the common kind is allowed to remain for 

 twenty-four hours wherever the foot of man or boy can 

 find access. This species would yield good ketchup, 

 but in very small quantities ; if, however, a few are 

 added with other mushrooms, it greatly improves the 

 flavour of the ketchup. 



The Rev. Gerard Smith thus describes the general 

 character of the circles on the grass found where these 

 mushrooms do grow, and which were long attributed 

 to 



" The nimble elves 



That do by moonshine green sour ringlets make, 

 Whereof the ewe bites not ; whose pastime 'tis 

 To make these midnight mushrooms." 



"Fairy-rings consist, generally speaking, of circles 

 or parts of circles of grass, of a darker colour and more 

 luxuriant growth than the surrounding herbage, the 

 outer edge of the circle being well denned, while the 

 colour and stature of the grass diminish and fade so 

 gradually inwards, that it is difficult to determine the 



