USES. 89 



grows in great quantities in oak forests, and may be obtained 

 by the cart-load in its season ; but to his taste, and that of his 

 family, it is the most unpalatable of fungi, nor could he find any 

 of the most passionate mycophagists who would avow that they 

 liked it. There is a disagreeable saline flavour that they could 

 not remove nor overlay. In addition to these, the same autho- 

 rity enumerates Agaricus russula, Scheeff., Agaricus Jiypopiihyus, 

 Curt., and Agaricus consociatus, Curt., the latter two being con- 

 fined to the United States ; Agaricus columbetta, Fr., found in 

 Britain, but not eaten, as well as Agaricus radicatus, Bull. Agari- 

 cus bombi/cinus, Schseff., and Agaricus speciosus, Fr., are found in 

 Britain, but by no means common ; Agaricus sguarrosus, Mull., 

 has always been regarded with great suspicion in this country, 

 where it is by no means uncommon ; Agaricus cretaceus, Fr., and 

 Agaricus sylvaticus, S draff., are close allies of the common 

 mushroom. 



Dr. Curtis says that hill and plain, mountain and valley, 

 woods, fields, and pastures, swarm with a profusion of good 

 nutritious fungi, which are allowed to decay where they spring 

 up, because people do not know how, or are afraid, to use them. 

 By those of us who know their use, their value was appreciated, 

 as never before, during the late war, when other food, especially 

 meat, was scarce and dear. Then such persons as I have heard 

 express a preference for mushrooms over meat had generally no 

 need to lack grateful food, as it was easily had for the gathering, 

 and within easy distance of their homes if living in the country. 

 Such was not always the case, however. I remember once, during 

 the gloomy period when there had been a protracted drought, 

 and fleshy fungi were to be found only in damp shaded woods, 

 and but few even there, I was unable to find enough of any one 

 species for a meal, so, gathering of every kind, I brought home 

 thirteen different kinds, had them all cooked together in one 

 grand pot pourri, and made an excellent supper. 



One important use to which several species of fungi can be 

 applied, is the manufacture of ketchup. For this purpose, not 

 only is the mushroom, Agaricus campestris, and the horse mush- 

 room, Agaricus arvensis, available, but also Agaricus rubesccns 



