1834- 



ARBORETUM AND FKUTICETUM. 



PART 111. 



1G71 



1673 



edge, which are sometimes glutinous. 



(Eng. Ft., v. p. 144.) It was from this 



species that Bracconet obtained the bo- 



letic acid. (See Encyc. of Plants, p. 1007.) 



P. fomentarius Fries, syn. B. fomentarius 



L., and our Jig. 1672. ; and P. igniarius 



Fries, syn. B. igniarius L., and our fig. 



1671. ; are both used for making amadou, 

 or vegetable tinder ; the former being considered the best. P. fomentarius 

 is also the agaric de chene, or agaric des chintrgiens, of the French drug- 

 gists. To make the amadou, the outer covering is peeled off, and the 

 interior part, which is soft and full 

 of fibres, is boiled in a lie of wood- 

 ashes. It is then dried, and beaten 

 with a hammer till it becomes flat ; 

 after which it is again boiled in a 

 solution of saltpetre. In this state, 

 it makes excellent tinder, igniting 

 with the slightest spark. The agaric 

 des chirurgiens is prepared in the same 

 manner, but not boiled in the solution 

 of nitre. ( See Marquiss Essai, &c. ; Diet. Classique d'Hist. Nat. ; Thickness' s 

 For. Veg.) The Laplanders are said to cure a violent pain in any part of the 

 body by laying a piece of P. fomentarius on the part, and igniting it. (Eng. 

 FL, vol. v. p. 4.) P. vulgaris Fr. and P. molluscus Fr. are common on 

 fallen branches. An account of a curious deformed fungus (fig. 1673.), 

 apparently a species of Polyporus, was sent to us in the year 1828. This 



fungus grew for 10 years on the oak 



from which it was taken, and was 



composed of an aggregate mass of 



tubercles, disposed in an irregular 



form : the pores were oval. (Mag. 



Nat. Hist., 5. p. 289.) Fistulina 



hepatica With., Grev. Crypt., t. 240., 



and our fig. 1674., is an eatable; 



_ fungus ; and it is much esteemed in 'tf^ 1575 



Austria as an article of food ; though the taste is rather acid, and the texture 

 tough. It is sometimes found of enormous size. Mr. Graves found a specimen 

 upon an ash pollard that weighed 30 Ib. On the oak it 1677 

 is generally very small, .ffydnum 

 l&inaceus Bull., t. 34., and our 

 fig. 1675., is found occasionally 

 upon the oak ; but it is rare in 

 Britain. Thele'phora rubiginosa < 

 Schrad., syn. Auricularia ferru- 

 le ginea Sow., t. 26. ; T. spadicea 

 Pers., syn. Auricularia tabdcina Sow. T. ^uercina Pers. Syn., p. 573., 

 Grev. Crypt., t. 142., and our fig. 1676., syn. Auricularia corticahs Bull., 

 ear. It is generally found on fallen oak branches, 

 in woods, and is very common. T. hirsuta W. 





1678 1679 



t. 436. f. I., was formerly called oak ear, or oak- 

 bark ear, from some fancied similarity to the human 

 ( fig. 1677.) is an allied species, and is equally common. Peziza aurantia Pers. 

 Syn., p. 637., Grev. Fl. Ed., p. 418., syn. P. cocci nea Sow., t. 78., and our 



1674 



