MUSHROOM. 377 



showery season it will put forth great store of 

 mushrooms/' 



The Laplanders have a way of using the 

 common toadstools, as the Chinese do moxa, 

 to cure pains : they collect the large fungi 

 which they find on the bark of beech and 

 other large trees, and dry them for use. 

 Whenever they have pains in their limbs, they 

 bruise some of this dried matter, and pulling 

 it to pieces, they lay a small heap near the 

 part where the pain is situated, and set it 

 on fire ; in burning away it blisters up the 

 part, and the water discharged by this means 

 generally carries off the pain. It is a rude 

 practice, but said to be very effectual, where 

 the patient takes it in time, and has resolution 

 to stand the burning to a necessary degree. 



