MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



such small quantity as to have no appreciable effect. Now, 

 had you seen the quantities of stewed mushrooms swal- 

 lowed at a single meal which I have seen thus devoured, 

 and with no more harm than from the same amount of 

 oyster or turtle soup, I think you would be forced to the 

 conclusion that such an amount, even of. poisonous infi- 

 nitesimals, must have had some very unpleasant manifes- 

 tations, or else be a very innocent diet. 



" It is said that the sale of the pink gill (A. cam- 

 pestris) is forbidden in the Italian markets, because that 

 species has often proved to be poisonous. May not this 

 have been occasioned by ignorant and careless collectors 

 or by worthless inspectors ? To us in America, who use 

 this species so freely and fearlessly, the Italian's curse, 

 ' May he die of a Pratiolo V would have no more terror 

 than ' May he die of aromatic pain/ 



" Our best and standard mushrooms are the pink- gill 

 (A. campestris] ; snowball (A. arvensis) ; peach-kernel 

 (A. amygdalinus) ; nut (A. procerus) ; French (A. pru- 

 nulus] ; morel (M. esculenta) ; coral (Clavarid) ; and 

 omelette (Ly coper don giganteum). These are almost 

 universally in high esteem. Yet tastes differ on these 

 things as on fruits and vegetables ; some putting one, 

 some another, at the head of the list, though fond of all 

 and ever ready to use any of them as one who 

 prefers a peach may .yet relish an apple. There are some 

 among us who regard A. procerus as fully equal to A. 



