368 



THE POPULAR EDUCATOR. 



They grow on earth or on very wet wood, and emit an agreeable 

 odour. Though of a permanent character, they are rather 

 fragile, and ranch like the morel in flavonr, being in Sweden 

 and Germany often confounded with it. In Sweden it is called 

 Stenmuchla; in Germany, Gemeine Morchel, Stumpf Morchel, 

 or Stock MorcheL 



grows to an enormous size. The flesh ia at first of snowy 

 whiteness, but it should be eaten as socn as gathered, a few 

 hours sufficing to turn it to dirty yellow, and destroying its 

 firmness. When fresh, its thick, white, fleshy substance rendeia 

 it fit for all culinary purposes. The best method of dressing it 

 is said to be to cut it in slices, and fry it in egg and bread- 

 The most esculent species of this genus is Morchella, which I crumbs. According to Vittadini, you may cut slices daily fresh 

 also affords two most delicious edible species Morchella escu- i from the living plant (provided that you do not break its con- 

 lenta and MorcJiella semilibera the Morels. The appearance of j nections with the earth), and in this way have "a fine frittura 

 the Morchella is very singular. Its cap varies considerably in ; every day for a week," which " frittura" Badham reports to 

 shape and hue, and the surface is pitted into little cells, or [ "have the flavour of a rich light omelette." 

 pockets, formed by folds or One more noted species, 



plaits of the hymenium, which *^ e Tuber cibarium, or Truffle, 



are called ribs. These ribs are ^^^^^^^^-^^^^B I '?^^^^ must close our imperfect 



rery irregular ; the cap is /$$$$% fitek catalogue of edible fungi, 



hollow, and opens into an ir- /jj& ^^^ffl^B RH T ^ S curious s P ecies i g m et 



regular hollow stem. ftffiji ^^HlfiffllH ^ growing in clusters in 



de- ::^mmiim clayey or sandy soil scmo 



The Lycoperdons next 

 mand our at- 

 tention. " All 

 those more or 

 less spherical 

 white fungi, 

 furnished with 

 a membranous 

 white cover- 

 ing, and filled, 

 when young, 

 with a white, 

 compact, ho- 

 mogeneous 

 pulp, which we 

 call puff-balls, 

 are good to 

 eat." So writes 

 Dr. Badham ; 

 and he adds 

 that those in 

 most request 

 abroad, and 

 the best, are 

 those which 

 have no stem, 

 that ia, no 

 sterile base. 



Two Bpeciea, 

 Lycoperdon 

 plwmbeum (Fig. 310) 

 and Lycoperdon Bovista, 

 are quoted aa the best 

 eating. The former of 

 these may be found, 

 either solitary or in 

 groups, in dry places, 

 and may be gathered 

 in spring, summer, or 

 autumn. Vittadini says : 

 " After the warm rains 

 of summer and autumn, 

 myriads of these little 

 plants suddenly spring- 

 ing up will often com- 

 pletely cover a piece of ground as if they had been sown like 

 grain for a crop. If we dig them up, we shall find that they 

 are connected with long fragile threads, extending horizontally 

 under ground, and giving attachment to numerous smaller 

 puff-balls in different stages of development, which, by con- 

 tinuing to grow, afford fresh supplies as the old ones die off." 

 Lycoperdon plumbeum is, when full grown, about the size of a 

 walnut. London figures it under the name of Lycoperdon 

 pyriforme, the pear-shaped puff-ball. The other species named 

 as among the best is Lycoperdon Bovista. This is the kind 

 which is used for the purpose of throwing bees into a trance 

 whilst the spoilers rifle their home of all its hoarded treasure. 

 It used also in former days to be employed instead of lucifer- 

 matches, as it will, when dry, hold fire for a long time, and was 

 often carried by rustics in a state of ignition for the purpose 

 of lighting their cottage fires. Lycoperdon Bovista sometimes 



307. HYDNUM REFANDUM. SOS. CLAVARIA CORALLOIDES. 309. CLAVARIA 



AMETHYSTINA. 310. PEAR-SHAPED PUFF-BULL (LYCOPEEDON PLUMBEUM). 



inches under 

 the ground, as 

 also in chalk ; 

 and is common 

 on the Wilt- 

 shire downs, 

 as well as in 

 woods both in 

 England and 

 Scotland. The 

 form of truffles 

 is nearly sphe- 

 rical, and their 

 colour ap- 

 proaching 

 black ; they 

 are studded 

 over with 

 pyramidal tu- 

 bercles, and 

 their spawn 

 is phosphores- 

 cent and emits 

 light. In Eng- 

 land they 

 seldom exceed 

 a fw ounces 

 in Weight, but 

 on the Con- 

 tinent they are said to 

 attain to many pounds' 

 weight. As there is no 

 appearance above ground 

 to indicate where the 

 truffles lie, there is, of 

 course, difficulty in dis- 

 covering them; but so 

 keen have men been in 

 their appetite for this 

 delicacy, that they have 

 hit on the expedient of 

 training dogs to scent 

 them out. When the ani- 

 mals nose the prey, they 



stand, and whine, and scratch on the spot until their masters 

 dig and take possession of the tubers. It is said that a man 

 was once known capable of exercising this extraordinary func- 

 tion, and discovering truffles in the earth by their scent. 



Much has been written concerning the means of distinguish- 

 ing edible from poisonous fungi, but hitherto no satisfactory 

 rules have been arrived at. Indeed, it seems probable, from 

 some recent experiments, that the harmlessness or otherwise of 

 a mushroom does not so much depend upon species as upon 

 locality of growth. In Russia, the natives eat with impunity 

 many species that are reputed poisonous in England ; and, on 

 the other hand, species reputed innocent among ourselves are 

 frequently productive of dangerous symptoms. It is more than 

 probable, however, that the poisonous principle residing in tho 

 fungus tribe admits of extraction by the operation of pre- 

 liminary soaking for some hours in vinegar, salt, and water. 



