174 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



opened to uew botanical wonders, and he will have a new appreci- 

 ation of the bounty of Nature to her foster child, man. 



[After these general reiuari\S, the lecturer proceeded to describe 

 carefully some of the leading species of edible mushrooms. These 

 descriptions were made more interesting by the use of stereopticon 

 illustrations.] 



Agaricus carnjyestris. The Meadow Mushroom. — There are 

 many persons who will recognize this mushroom as the only one 

 which they know and gather for food. Agaricus camjyestris is the 

 most widely known, and by some thought to be the best of our 

 native edible mushrooms. The new mycologist has no enmity to 

 this well-known species ; he simply claims that it is one of the 

 many, and this knowledge is by no means as common as it should 

 be. It may soon be learned, and ever afterwards be recognized 

 at sight. It grows in open grassy places in fields and pastures, 

 but not in the woods. The cap is whitish rather than white ; 

 brownish rather than brown ; the gills beneath the cap, in its best 

 condition, are pink, but soon become a dark brown ; the margin of 

 the cap extends a little beyond the extremity of the gills — folds 

 over them, we might say. The flesh inclines to turn pink when 

 broken ; the stem has a woolly ring or veil. There are many vari- 

 eties of this species, but none surpassing the campestris in flavor. 



Agaricus arvensis. The Horse Mushroom. — Tiiis species is 

 almost as common in the wild state, and more frequently met with, 

 I think, in cultivation, as it grows much larger, and so 3'ields a 

 better return in weight. The comparative merits of the campestris, 

 and several of those we have under consideration today, will not 

 be settled for a long time. There are two sides to the shield ; 

 there is room for all in the gastronomic menu. The peculiar 

 flavor of the campestris has come to be known as the mushroom 

 flavor, but there are some to whom it is not agreeable, and they 

 say, " Oh, 1 don't care for mushrooms." As well say, "■ I never 

 eat meat," because the flavor of mutton is not agreeable. Mv- 

 cophagists claim that there is as much variety in the flavors of 

 mushrooms as in those of meats. 



Tastes vary ; it is said that in Rome the public censor or, what- 

 ever may be his title, the otticial inspector of musin-ooms, condemns 

 to the Tiber our favorite Agaricus cainpestris, but this may have 

 been changed long ago. It hardly seems possible, for this species 

 is known and used in Europe, Asia, and Australia. Its popularity 



