- 337 



" Nearly 20 species of Amanitas have now been examined by 

 the methods which have been worked out for the demonstration 

 of the 3 most important poisons in fungi, muscarine, hemolysins, 

 and toxins. By the use of these methods, a small amount of ma- 

 terial, even i or 2 plants, can be analyzed and the properties of 

 the species established." 



T. W. SANDERS. Mushrooms and their cultivation. A Hand- 

 book for Amateurs dealing with the Culture of Mushrooms in the 

 Open-air, also in Sheds, Cellars, Greenhouses, etc., and the best 

 methods of Cooking them; including a Description of other 

 Edible Fungi. Pp. 8o-|-fgs. 28. London, 1909. 



The author writes in the " Foreword " : '' This Handbook has 

 been written to meet the requirements of amateur gardeners who 

 need guidance as to the various methods of growing mushrooms 

 for home consumption. Our aim has been to supply information 

 in as concise and lucid a manner as possible on the culture of 

 the mushroom on ridges or beds in the open air, in boxes and 

 tubs in cellars, etc. ; under greenhouse staging ; in old hotbeds or 

 in frames; also in pastures. No pains have been spared to make 

 every phase of the art plain and easy to understand in order that 

 even the merest novice may follow with hope of certain success. 



" To render the volume of still greater value to the amateur 

 we have not only instructed him how to grow mushrooms, but 

 also how to cook them in various appetising ways. 



" We know there are many country readers, who in summer 

 and autumn come across a great number of fungi growing in wood- 

 land, upland, and mead, but are unaware of the fact that a large 

 proportion of them are edible. The popular notion is that every 

 fungus, except the true mushroom, is a " toadstool ", and poisonous 

 withal. Is is true that a large number of fungi are highly poiso- 

 nous, but this fact should not deter the reader from studying the 

 various fungi that come under his observation, and gradually finding 

 out those which are edible and those that' are not. 



To assist the country reader, therefore, to determine those that 

 re safe to eat, we have supplied a chapter giving a brief descrip- 

 tion of the edible kinds, accompanied, as far as possible, with 

 illustrations of them ". 



We give, out of this useful little book, the following extracts 

 regarding the possible application of law in regard to protection of 

 field-culture of mushrooms, and some notes on truffles in England. 





