THE POPULAR EDUCATOR. 



entered that magic boundary, they should come under the power 

 of the fairies, or (as they are called in Devonshire) pixies, and 

 should be by them pixy-led ; that is, led off into by-ways, 

 and so into some pathless waste. 



We will not here enter into the speculations of botanists 

 on the mode by which these rings are formed; it will be 

 enough to say that it is now gene- 

 rally acknowledged that they are pro- 

 duced by the growth of fungi. The Aga- 

 ricus prunulus is reproduced in these 

 rings every year about the same time, 

 the circle continuing to enlarge until it 

 breaks up into irregular lines, which is a 

 sure indication that the species is about 

 to disappear from that place ; an un- 

 broken ring being a certain promise of a 

 good crop the next year. It is a large 

 fungus, and very abundant ; Dr. Badham 

 says he has collected in one field from 

 twenty to twenty-five pounds weight. 

 Professor Balbi writes to Persoon : " This 

 rare and most delicious agaric, the 

 Mouceron of Bulliard, and the Agaricus 

 prunulus of other authors, abounds on 

 the hills above the valley of Stafora, 

 near Bobbio, where it is called Spina- 

 roli, and is in great request. The 

 country -people eat it fresh in a variety 

 of ways, or they dry and sell it for 



from twelve to sixteen francs a pound." This species is a 

 thick, convex, fleshy mushroom, irregular in shape, of a cream- 

 coloured, or buffish, or grey, or reddish tint, with very 

 numerous white gills, and has the advantage of appearing 

 in spring, when few other edible species are to be procured. 

 In Rome, " it is sent in 

 little baskets as presents 

 to patrons, fees to medical 

 men, and bribes to Roman 

 lawyers." How surprised 

 would our learned function- 

 aries in law or physic be 

 to receive a little basket 

 of what they would pro- 

 bably call "toad-stools," in 

 return for their efforts on 

 behalf of their clients or 

 patients ! 



The Agaricus Georgii, 

 another of these gregarious 

 ring-forming species, is 

 one of no small interest ; 

 its cap is at first conico- 

 campanulate, and covered 

 with white shreds ; but 

 when fully expanded these 

 have all disappeared, and 

 it becomes beautifully 

 white and shining. It 

 grows in pastures and 

 under trees, and some of 

 the individuals attain a 

 most enormous size. Dr. 

 Withering says : " Mr. 

 Stackhouse had repeatedly 

 mentioned to me a large 

 esculent fungus found on 

 the sea-coast in Cornwall, 

 which is, I believe, a 



monstrous variety of this species. Its whole habit is very large, 

 the button as big as a potato, the expanded pileus eighteen 

 inches over; the stem as big as a man's wrist," etc. He 

 also mentions a specimen found on an old hot-bed, which 

 weighed fourteen pounds. But huge as this fungus must have 

 been, it by no means equals one mentioned by Clusius, in his 

 " History of Plants," which was found in Pannonia. Of this 

 immense specimen (supposed to have been Polyporus frondosus), 

 " after satisfying the cravings of a large mycophilous household, 

 enough remained to fill a chariot ! " 



306. CANTHARELLUS CIBAKIUS. 



305. THE MEADOW MUSHROOM (AGARICUS CAMPESTRIS). 



The Hungarians suppose the mushroom, Agaricus Georgii, or, 

 as some authors call it, Agaricus exquisitus, to be a special gift 

 from St. George. It has several trivial names " the horse 

 mushroom," from its immense size; and "white caps," undcv 

 which name it is sold for making ketchup. There are so 

 many other interesting species of mushrooms which invite 

 our attention, that it is difficult to 

 kno-v which of them to select for espe- 

 cial notice. We have named Marasmius 

 oreades and Agaricus personatus as being 

 species which grow in rings. The first 

 of these is a small buff mushroom, its 

 common namas being champignon, and 

 Scotch bonnets. It is very common, ac- 

 cording to Badham ; Hyde Park produces 

 them abundantly in some seasons. He 

 says that in the French a-la-mode beef- 

 shops this species of fungus is in great 

 request, and that it imparts a delicious 

 flavour to rich soups and gravies. When 

 dried (as it is the custom of the French 

 and Italians to use them), these cham- 

 pignons may be kept for many years, 

 and their flavour becomes improved by 

 the process. Agaricus personatus is 

 sold in Covent Garden Market under 

 the name of bleivits. It is of a pale 

 bistre, or purple lilac, occasionally violet, 

 the cap from two to six inches broad, 

 and the stem from one to three inches high. It grows in rings 

 or in clusters amongst grass, usually appearing in October. 



The Agaricus comatus, or " maned agaric," according to 

 Puccinelli, as quoted by Dr. Badham, is "in great repr.t; 

 about Via Reggio and Lucca." It may be found in meadows 



and waste places in early 

 spring, and the young spe- 

 cimens are used for making 

 ketchup. It is called the 

 "maned agaric," from its 

 shaggy edge. The cap is 

 fleshy, white and scaly, the 

 lamellae or gills changing 

 to red-purple and to black, 

 and showing their dark 

 hue through the skin of 

 the cap as it advances in 

 age. 



The Agaricus ostreatus 

 is a species of fungus which 

 grows on wood. It may 

 be found on dead trees ia 

 spring and autumn. This 

 fungus varies much in size 

 and colour ; but where it 

 has once been found, there 

 it is pretty sure to grow 

 for many successive years. 

 It is a pretty fungus, vary- 

 ing in hue ; but though 

 occasionally found quite 

 white, it is in general of a 

 ashy-brown with white 

 gills, and has either no 

 stem, or one sublateral. 



Another very delicate 

 agaric, Agaricus rubescens, 

 which grows in woods, 

 particularly of oak or 



chestnut, is to be found both in summer and autumn ; and 

 Agaricus caudicinus, a beautiful little cinnamon-coloured edible 

 fungus, which grows on trees, and is very much prized in 

 the southern part of Italy, is also worthy of our notice ; 

 the elegant little white field agaric, Agaricus virgineus, which 

 abounds in our pastures in autumn, is also a very attractive 

 species. But space does not allow of our naming any others 

 of this tribe, and W3 can barely hint at the rich store of 

 food which is offered to us by the other genera of the tribe 

 Pileati. 



