164 MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



from these, at least, the stigma ought to be removed. But 

 even so, I would submit one or two questions to those 

 who may be inclined to admit this. 1st. Is it so clear 

 that a fungus which agrees with one person may not be 

 very injurious to another ? One man has, to use a vulgar 

 expression, the stomach of a horse. Can I, an average 

 mortal, calculate on possessing such a treasure? I saw 

 with my own eyes my scientific friend eat and swallow 

 an entire Boletus flavus, raw, without any apparent bad 

 effects either that evening or the following day, whereas 

 a small portion of the same kind, cooked too (I cannot, 

 however, say secundum art em), produced violent sickness 

 on another individual, who, moreover, had never before 

 experienced sickness ; indeed, this fact would seem to 

 suggest that the stomach may be ' educated' by long habit 

 to bear this noxious food, and, therefore, that its evil effects 

 (harmless upon organs well trained) happen when the ex- 

 perimentum in corpore mil is tried. My friend assures me 

 that he has eaten the highly poisonous Boletus satanas 

 with no worse effect than a little indigestion the next 

 morning. Can, I would ask, the experience of such a 

 seasoned digestive apparatus as his be any guide to those 

 who have not gone through the course of training which 

 he has ? 



" Again, may it not be possible that the same kind of 

 fungus which in some instances is wholesome, may, if 

 grown under different circumstances, and supplied with 



