188 MUSHROOM. 



desire to study the artificial production of their 

 spawn; for all other ends it were better to leave 

 them alone. These mushroom beds require as 

 much attention as a porter brewery, without yield- 

 ing its profit, and withall, this fungus, nursed under 

 filthy straw in the dark and dryrot atmosphere of 

 a shed, has neither the fine flavour nor the whole- 

 someness of those which are sprinkled by nature 

 and shine like the galaxy on azure pastures. It is 

 true that in some years the mushroom is not pro- 

 duced; but it is also true, that as it furnishes a 

 most delicious but somewhat dangerous feast, there 

 is safety in long periods of restriction; and for its 

 better use that of the savoury and not hurtful 

 sauce which it yields it may be gathered in some 

 seasons to the amount of cart loads; and the pro- 

 duce will keep, like the corn of Egypt, till plenty 

 return. , 



This plant, like the best of virtues, has its coun- 

 terfeits; and let neither man, woman, nor child, 

 gather, stew, boil, eat, or sip of any fungus without 

 a discriminating knowledge, gained by sight and 

 smell and locality, which no paper description can 

 possibly convey; and let not those who have the 

 spawn of their own manufacture, without such know- 

 ledge, confide in their artificial productions. " Ex- 

 cessive moisture, " says the most experimental of 

 gardeners, " is not only apt to destroy the spawn," 

 (and what sort of spawn may come instead?) "but 

 it debases the flavour of such fungi as are produced 

 under it. And such excess of moisture, he ob- 



