74 MUSHROOMS. 



ton G. Smith, the well-known authority on fungi, says: 

 "Whether boiled, stewed with salt, pepper, and butter, fried 

 or roasted with onions and butter, this species proves itself 

 one of the most delicious and tender objects of food ever 

 submitted to the operation of cooking." 



Common Puff.Ball (Bovista plumbea). — This, also 

 known in some books as Lycoperdon plumbeum, is globose 

 in shape, and when fully grown about the size of a walnut. 

 It has a double epidermis, the outer one being whitish and 

 evenljually shelling off, while the under' One is scaly or warty 

 and of a dull grey colour. It grows in colonies in dryish 

 pastures in spring, summer, and autumn. Gathered in a 

 young state and cooked as advised for Lycoperdon giganteum 

 it is said to be delicious. 



Prickly Cap (Agaricus [Pholiota] squarrosus). — This 

 species is shown in the illustration given herewith. Its 

 pileus, or cap, is rough and bristling with dark scales. 

 Grows at the base of ash trees. Is not particularly good 

 flavoured. 



Helvella.. — A genus of edible fungi possessing an agree- 

 able odour and which may be dried and preserved for use 

 all the year round. Two species are edible. H. crispa has 

 its pileus, or cap, lobed and much contorted, and whitish 

 or flesh coloured; stem hollow, white, and ribbed. H. lacu- 

 nosa has an inflated, lobed, and darkish pileus, or cap, and 

 a white or dusky ribbed stem. Both grow in woods and 

 on the stumps of old trees in autumn. Excellent for flavour- 

 ing gravies. 



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