yS AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY. 



errors, and to establish scientifically several varieties with which 



I became more intimately acquainted. 



The Japanese designate by Kinoko and Kusabira, the larger fungi 

 in general, and by Take, as aff.x to the proper name, in particular 

 cases. Several varieties of Agaricus stand first in their estima- 

 tion, namely Shii-take and Matzu-take. 



57. Agaricus Sp., Jap. Shii-take. This is an agaric, without ring 

 and anil, the hood eccentrically placed and irregular, having a 

 brown outer skin and white lamella. The stalk likewise is white, 

 rather high and moderately thick. Shii-take has therefore only 

 a slight resemblance to our common champignon [A. campestris^ 

 Pers.), being closer in appearance to A.fusipes, Fr., A. contortus^ 

 Berk, and A, attemiatus, D. C. It is the more incomprehensible 

 how often they have been confused with it, from Kaempfer's and 

 Thunberg's time down to the present day. Thus Kinch in his 

 list adduces Shii-take as Agaricus campestris, and we find in the 

 catalogue of the Japanese section of the International Health 

 Exhibition, London, 1884,^ an analysis of it under this name. 

 According to it, the mushroom when dried, contains 1 1 "847 per 

 cent, of albumen, 1-685 P^^" cent of fat, 67-508 per cent of cellulous, 

 and other nitrogenous components, 4'370 per cent. \ of ashes, and 



I I -490 per cent, of water. 



The Shii-take is easily dried and preserved. In this process 

 there is developed and retained an excellent aroma, which makes 

 it the most precious and valuable of all Japanese fungi. It derives 

 its name from the Shii-tree, an evergreen oak {Querciis cuspidata, 

 Thunb.) of Central and Southern Japan. But the quantity of it 

 found on rotting roots and stumps is by no means equal to the 

 demand. This is mostly met by artificial propagation, as in the 

 case of truffles and champignons in Europe, which in my opinion 

 it far excels in flavour. Truffles and champignons are used for 

 sauce chiefly, and so Shii-take serves principally in making savoury 

 soups. If the quantity used at home and exported (to China) does 

 not represent such great sums as those, the plant is, neverthe- 

 less a factor worth mentioning. 



Its artificial production, which is described more thoroughly in 

 the English consular report from Kanagawa (Yokohama) for 1875,^ 

 is subserved not only by Shii-noki {Queracs cuspidata, Thunb.), 

 but also by other oaks, as Kashi [Querciis acuta, Thunb.), Kashiwa 

 {Q. dentata, Thunb.). This takes place chiefly in the bark of felled 

 trees, and is carried on in many provinces, namely in Yamato, 

 Ise, Mikawa, Totomi, Suruga, Kai, Idzu, Mutzu, Dewa and else- 

 where. 



58. Agaricus Sp., Matsu-dahi, i.e., pine-fungus, because growing 

 mostly in pine-woods. When fresh, it tastes very good, and is 



* "Japan. Internat. Health Exhib., London, 1884. A Descriptive Catalogue 

 of the Exhibits, etc., by K. Nagai and J. Murai." 

 " The Revue Hortlcole, of the year 1879, also gives a description of it. 



