118 FOBCING MUSHROOMS, 



month, take off the earth, and if on examination there is 

 no appearance of spawn, the whole may be destroyed, butif 

 on the contrary the bed should contain spawn, it may be 

 Tenovated by covering it again, especially if any small 

 tubercles be discernible; but if the heat should have declined, 

 the spawn may be taken out and used in a fresh bed. If 

 beds be formed in hot-bed frames under glass, some mats or 

 straw must be laid over the glass to break off the intense 

 heat of the sun. 



Although only one species of edible fungi has yet been 

 introduced into the garden, there' are several eatable kinds. 

 In Poland and Russia there are above thirty sorts in com- 

 mon use among the peasantry. They are gathered at dif- 

 ferent stages of their growth, and used in various ways ; 

 raw, bniled, stewed, roasted, and being hung up, and diied 

 in their stoves and chimnies, form a part of their Winter 

 stock of provisions. Great caution is necessary in collect- 

 ing Mushrooms for food, and none but the Botanist should 

 search for any but the sorts we have described.* Physicians 

 say, "that all the edible species should be thoroughly mas- 

 ticated before they are taken into the stomach, as this greatly 

 lessens the effects of poisons. When accidents of the sort 

 happen, vomiting should be immediately excited, and then 

 the vegetable acids should be given, either vinegar, lemon 

 juice, or that of apples ; after which, give ether and anti- 

 spasmodic remedies, to stop the excessive vomiting. Infu- 

 sions of gallnur, oak bark, and Peruvian bark, are recom, 

 mended as capable of neutralizing the poisonous principle 

 of Mushrooms." It is, however, the safest way not to eat 

 any but the well known kinds. 



* In order to ascertain whether what appear to be Mushrooms are of 

 the true eatable kinds, sprinkle a litttle salt over the inner or spongy 

 part ; if, in a short time after, they turn yellow, they are unwholesome ; 

 but if black, they may be considered a.s genuine AJushroows, 



