AGARICS. 109 



30. This family is very numerous, and is divided into several 

 groups, the most important of which are agarics or mushrooms, 

 properly so called, lycopodia'cece, and the rnuscidinea, moss 

 tribe. 



31. Agarics or mushrooms, properly so called, are plants ordi- 

 narily of fleshy consistence, the sporules of which are placed on 

 the surface of an external membrane and enclosed in distinct 

 capsules. Some have a sort of stem surmounted by an um- 

 brella-shaped cap, the inferior surface of which is lined by the 

 sporiferous membrane ; others are club-shaped or branched ; 

 others again form irregular masses of a gelatinous consistence. 

 They are commonly found in shady, damp woods, at the foot of 

 old trees, and a great many are known. Several of them may 

 be used as food, and are even very much esteemed, but others are 

 violently poisonous, and there are no general characters by which 

 good mushrooms may be certainly distinguished from bad ones ; 

 it is only when we are able to recognise perfectly the species 

 known to be good that we should venture to eat those found in 

 forests, because there are poisonous mushrooms which so closely 

 resemble the edible species that mistakes are easily made. We 

 should invariably reject those which change colour quickly after 

 being gathered ; those which contain a milky juice, or are of a 

 very soft and watery structure; those that have a peppery, bitter, 

 or astringent taste, and disagreeable odour ; a bright red colour 

 is also frequently an indication of poisonous qualities. 



32. The mushrooms most used as food are the edible agaric 

 agaricus edulis, the mousserron agaric, the orange, chant relle, 

 morille, ceps, or boletus edulis, or edible bole; but the only 

 species cultivated is the edible agaric, which is propagated at 

 pleasure by means of the white filaments that spread out in the 

 soil where the sporules have germinated, and are known to 

 gardeners under the name of white of mushrooms. 



33. One of the most poisonous mushrooms is the false oronge, 

 which resembles the true oronge, which is among the most 

 esteemed species, and is very common in the South of France. 



34. Tinder or spunk is a species of mushroom of the genus 

 Agaric. 



30. What are the most important divisions of the family of Fungi ? 



31. What are agarics ? How are edible mushrooms recognised ? 



32. What species of mushrooms are used for food ? What species is 

 cultivated ? 



33. Name one of the most poisonous species of mushroom. 



34. What is spunk? 



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