ST GEORGES MUSHROOM. 57 



bottle ; cork well and dip the ends in resin ; a very- 

 little Chili vinegar is an improvement, and some add 

 a glass of port wine, or strong ale, to every bottle. 



The majority of the above are from the " Wool- 

 hope Club " receipts. 



VIII.— ST GEORGE'S MUSHROOM. 



The only really good spring mushroom, except the 

 Morels is the St George's mushroom {Agaricus 

 gambosus), presumably so called because it makes its 

 first appearance about St George's day. 



There is a legend accounting for the name, which 

 is current in Hungary, that it was a gift from St 

 George. Readers may please themselves which 

 account they choose to adopt. Some confusion has 

 also prevailed as to the scientific name which Dr 

 Badham gave as Agaricus prunulus, and some others 

 have called Agaricus Georgii, whereas the veritable 

 prunulus and also the true Georgii are different 

 species. In France it is called mouceron or mousseron 

 on account of its growing amongst moss, and from 

 this it has been stated that our name " mushroom," 

 applied generally to another species, has been 

 derived. 



The St George's mushroom is a pasture-loving 

 species, and is not found in woods. In ordinary cir- 



