54 MYCOPHAGY. 



Agaricus procerus, growing abundantly in autumn, 

 and occasionally through the summer. Were its excel- 

 lent qualities better known, they could not fail to intro- 

 duce it to a prominent place in the British cuisine. 

 Ketchup made from it is much finer than that from the 

 common mushroom. 



Boletus edultSj though much neglected in this coun- 

 try, Berkeley pronounces a most valuable article of 

 food. " Nihil quod tetigit non ornavit" exclaims the 

 enthusiastic Badham. It imparts a relish alike to the 

 homely hash and the dainty ragout. In Hungary it is 

 made into soup. Here is the recipe : Having dried 

 some boletuses in an oven, soak them in tepid water, 

 thickening with toasted bread till the whole be of the 

 consistence of a puree; then rub through a sieve, throw 

 in some stewed boletuses, boil together, and serve with 

 the usual condiments. We have found this delicious 

 boletus in abundance close to our habitat in Forfarshire, 

 and feast upon it freely. 



We must not linger over Badharn's savoury recipes 

 for mushrooms. That d la Marquis Cussi is not just 

 the thing for the multitude, seeing that it involves 

 simmering in a couple of glasses of sauterne. But a 

 homely mode of cooking " buttons" is to cut them with 

 bits of bacon the size of dice, and then to boil them in 

 a dumpling ; to master which with comfort would, we 

 fancy, require the digestive vigour of a ploughman's 

 stomach. 



Agaricus exquisitus, called also the horse-mushroom, 

 from the enormous size to which it sometimes attains 

 (5 Ib. 6 oz., for instance), is generally shunned by the 

 English epicure ; and with reason, it would appear, for 

 both Berkeley and Badham hold its tempting name a 

 misnomer. 



Agaricus deliciosus is in more favour with Badham, 

 who pronounces it one of the best agarics with which 

 he is acquainted. As it grows somewhat abundantly 

 under old Scotch firs from September to the beginning 



