ELISHA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY. 2$ 



and made an excellent supper. Among these was the Chaj^taielle, upon which 

 I would say a few words in confirmation of what I have already said upon the 

 varying qualities of mushrooms in different regions and localities. You have 

 somewhere written of this mushroom as being so highly esteemed a delicacy, 

 that it is much sought for when a dinner of state is given in London. Can this 

 be because it is a rarity ? (for nothing common and easily obtained is deemed a 

 delicacy, I believe), or because you have it of finer flavor in England ? Here, 

 where it abounds, no one seems to care at all for it, and some would forego 

 mushrooms entirely rather than eat this. It certainly varies much in quality, as I 

 have occasionally found it quite palatable, and again, though cooked in the same 

 mode, very indifferent. I have been unable to ascertain whether this difference 

 is due to locality, exposure, shade, soil, moisture, or temperature. That soil 

 has much to do with the flavor of some mushrooms I am well convinced. In 

 a parcel of Pink Gills I have sometimes found one or two specimens, though 

 perfectly sound, of such unpleasant odor and taste as would spoil a whole dish. 

 So also with the Snow Ball, (A. arvensis), of which I annually find a few 

 beautiful specimens growing near my residence, upon a grassy turf which covers 

 a pile of trash made up of decomposed sticks, leaves and scrapings from the 

 adjoining soil. Their taste and odor are perfectly detestable. I had one speci- 

 men cooked, but no amount of seasoning could abate the offensiveness of the 

 odious thing ; yet within lOO yards of these I gather specimens of the same 

 identical species, which are of fine flavor, equal to that of the best mushrooms. 

 As I have before intimated, the varying flavor of mushrooms growing on differ- 

 ent kinds of wood, so here I suppose the unpleasant qualities of some speci- 

 mens of these two well known and favorite species may be owing to something 

 in the soil where they grow which they cannot assimilate, and so render a pala- 

 table and wholesome species totally unfit for the table. Whether such speci- 

 mens, if eaten, would be poisonous or unwholesome. I do not feel any tempta- 

 tion to prove. It is not probable that they will ever do any mischief, for it is 

 incredible that any human being should so pervert his instincts as to swallow 

 such a villainous concoction. 



" Experience and observation like these would perhaps justify the inference 

 that an innocent species may sometimes be deleterious, on account of its taking 

 up some bad element from the soil. But as I have never known a case of 

 poisoning in families that are well acquainted with the common mushroom or 

 Pink Gill, that gather the specimens for themselves and have used this article 

 of food annually for many generations ,1 cannot agree with an objection some- 

 where made by you, that perhaps all mushrooms contain a poisonous element, 

 but some of them in such small quantity as to have no appreciable effect. Now, 

 had you seen the quantities of stewed mushrooms swallowed at a single meal 

 which I have seen thus devoured, and with no more harm than from the same 

 amount of oyster or turtle soup, I think you would be forced to the conclusion 

 that such an amount, even of poisonous infinitesimals, must have had some 

 very unpleasant manifestations, or else be a very innocent diet." 



