USES. 95 



modern Italians dry them on strings for winter use, and in 

 Hungary a soup is made from them when fresh. A more 

 excellent species, according to our judgment, is Boletus (estivalis, 

 Fr.,* which appears in early summer, and has a peculiar nutty 

 flavour when raw, reminding one more of a fresh mushroom. 

 Boletus sealer, Fr.,t is also common in Britain, as well as the 

 continent, but does not enjoy so good a reputation as B. edulis. 

 Krombholz says that Boletus bovinus, Fr., a gregarious species, 

 found on heaths and in fir woods, is much sought after abroad 

 as a dish, and is good when dried. Boletus castancus, Fr.,J is 

 a small species with a mild, pleasant taste when raw, and very 

 good when properly cooked. It is not uncommonly eaten on 

 the continent. Boletus chryseiiteron, Fr., and Boletus sultomen- 

 tosus, Fr., are said to be very poor eating, and some authors 

 have considered them injurious ; but Mr. W. G. Smith states 

 that he has on more than one occasion eaten the former, and 

 Trattinnick states that the latter is eaten in Germany. The late 

 Mr. Salter informed us that, when employed on the geological 

 staff, he at one time lived almost entirely on different species of 

 Boleti, without using much discrimination. Sir W. C. Trevelyan 

 also informs us that he has eaten Boletus lurdius without any 

 unpleasant consequences, but we confess that we should be sorry 

 to repeat the experiment. Dr. Badham remarks that he has 

 eaten Boletus Grevillei, B., Boletus flavus, With., and Boletus 

 granulatus, L., the latter being recognized also as edible abroad. 

 Dr. Curtis experimented, in the United States, on Boletus cot- 

 Unit us, and although he professes not to be particularly fond of 

 the Boleti, he recognizes it as esculent, and adds that it had been 

 pronounced delicious by some to whom he had sent it. He also 

 enumerates as edible Boletus luteus, Fr., Boletus elegans, Fr., 

 Boletus flavidus, Fr., Boletus versipellis, Fr., Boletus leucomelas t 

 Tr., and Boletus ovinus, Sch. Two Italian species of Polyporus 

 must not be forgotten. These are Polyporus tuberaster, Pers., 



* Hussey, " Myc. Illus." ii. pi. 25 ; Paulet, " Champ." t. 170. 



t Barla, J. B., "Champ, de la Nice," p. 71, pi. 35, f. 1-5. , 



$ Hussey, " Illustr." ii. t. 17 ; Barla, " Champ. Nice," t. 32, f. 11-15. 



Hussey, "Illustr." i. t. 5 ; Krombholz, " Schwamme," t. 76. 



