AGARICS 171 



is complete, and we have the orange-milk L. delicio- 

 sus, of which an authority says, " It really deserves its 

 name, being the most delicious mushroom known." 

 W. G. Smith goes still further in its praise, assuring 

 us that " when cooked with taste and care it is one 

 of the greatest delicacies of the vegetable kingdom." 

 The taste of this species when raw is slightly acrid, 

 but this quality disappears in the cooking. 



One other species of Lactarius, L. volemum, may 

 properly find a place in this work as being easily rec- 

 ognized. In general shape it resembles 



.-•^''^ M. L. deliciosus. The top is of a rich sien- 

 white = milk ^ , 



species na golden hue ; the gills are crowded. 



The milk is white as it first falls from 



the fracture, becoming dull dark-reddish, and having 



a mild, pleasant taste; gills white, at length yellowish 



or buff -colored. This species is esculent. 



Other species are accounted edible, even one — the 



peppery Lactarius, L. piperatus — a pure-white variety, 



- ' '> whose copious exudations of OT/^zV^ milk 



Peppery ^jj| ai^nost blister the lips, an acrid 

 white = milk , . , ». , . , , ^ 



species property which is claimed, by Curtis, 



Smith, and others to be dispelled in 



cooking, by which treatment it becomes delicious and 



wholesome. 



This species may reach a diameter of seven inches, 



its shape at first rounded, convex, then flat, concave, 



and finally funnel-shaped, as in many of the species. 



But its decidedly ardent tang in the raw state, as 



reminiscent from my own experience, warns me not 



to dwell too enthusiastically upon its merits in my 



limited selection of desirable esculent species. 



