36o 



MV GARDEN. 



that the senses of smell and taste afforded no indication of its poisonous 

 qualities. The symptoms which the poison produced were swimming 

 of the head, nausea, vomiting, and prostration. Deep but uneasy 

 sleep followed, and perfect recovery did not take place for ten days 

 or a fortnight. 



The Ergot of Rye (fig. 83 S«), which is produced by another fungus 

 called the Claviceps purpurea, and which lives upon rye and other grasses, 

 exercises the most terrible effect on the human economy, by producing 

 a disease called ergotism, which has been fully described by Thompson 

 in his Lectures on Inflammation. A surgeon who is a frequent visitor 

 at my garden was continually advocating the use of fungi for food; 

 so when preparing this chapter I took the opportunity of writing to 

 him to ask distinctly whether he had ever partaken of any ; and then 



Fig, 835 a. — Ergot of Rye. 



Fig, 836. — Agaricus fascicularis. 



Fig. 837.— Morel. 



I had a confession that he had not, and I earnestly warned him not 

 to recommend persons ignorant of their nature to partake of them. I 

 go much further, and state that cheese infested with fungus is not 

 desirable, and that food, whether animal or vegetal, with fungus upon 

 it, especially when cholera is prevalent, should never be eaten. 



In the Fern-house the Phallus impudiciis (fig. 840) grows, and in 

 its decay gives rise to a very offensive odour, which fills the air of 

 the whole house. Agaricus fascicularis (fig. 836), a poisonous fungus, 

 bitter to the taste, also grows with it. 



The Morel {Morchella esculenta, fig. 837) grows in my garden, 

 especially under large elm-trees. In some years we have had great 

 abundance, and in most- years we have some. It is highly esteemed 



