156 MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



pot pour ri, and made an excellent supper. Among these 

 was the Chantarelle, upon which I would say a few 

 words in confirmation of what I have already said upon 

 the varying qualities of mushrooms in different regions 

 and localities. You have somewhere written of this 

 mushroom as being so highly esteemed a delicacy, that 

 it is much sought for when a dinner of state is given in 

 London. Can this be because it is a rarity? (for nothing 

 common and easily obtained is deemed a delicacy, I 

 believe), or because you have it of finer flavour in 

 England? Here, where it abounds, no one seems to 

 care at all for it, and some would forego mushrooms 

 entirely rather than eat this. It certainly varies much 

 in quality, as I have occasionally found it quite palatable, 

 and again, though cooked in the same mode, very indif- 

 ferent. I have been unable to ascertain whether this 

 difference is due to locality, exposure, shade, soil, moisture, 

 or temperature. That soil has much to do with the 

 flavour of some species of mushrooms I am well con- 

 vinced. In a parcel of pink gills I have sometimes 

 found one or two specimens, though perfectly sound, of 

 such unpleasant odour and taste as would spoil a whole 

 dish. So also with the snowball (A. arvensis), of which 

 I annually find a few beautiful specimens growing near 

 my residence, upon a grassy turf which covers a pile of 

 trash made up of decomposed sticks, leaves, and scrapings 

 from the adjoining soil. Their taste and odour are per- 



