62 EDIBLE AND POISONOUS MUSHROOMS. 



stomach, and should be rejected. At length, 

 when quite matured, the interior becomes 

 a powdery mass of threads and spores of 

 a yellowish-olive colour, when it is good 

 for nothing but staunching blood or stifling 

 bees. When a specimen is found in a 

 satisfactory state, it should be cut in slices, 

 a quarter of an inch thick, like pancakes, 

 smeared with beaten egg, and dusted with 

 bread crumbs, then fried in butter or good 

 fat, until still more resembling a pancake 

 or omelet in colour. It may be eaten by 

 itself, or with fried ham ; and although with 

 a distinct and unique flavour of its own, 

 wholly unlike any other edible mushroom, 

 it is universally pronounced delicious. We 

 have known specimens to grow amongst 

 cabbages in a kitchen garden, and when 

 such is the case it may be left standing, 

 slices -being cut oflf as required until the 

 whole is consumed. 



