ST GEORGE S MUSHROOM. 59 



centre. The stem is thick (nearly an inch) and short, 

 of the same colour as the cap, rather thicker at the 

 base, and often contorted, or irregular. The gills are 

 of a watery white, and very numerous, commonly 

 arched, reaching the stem, to which they are attached. 

 The spores also are white. It would be difficult to 

 confound this with any other species, especially when 

 it is remembered that all fungi are rare at the time of 

 its appearance, and if our description is read over 

 carefully, it would be difficult to mistake it at any 

 time, not forgetting the strong odour, its growing in 

 rings, and its white gills and spores. We have never 

 encountered anyone who disliked this mushroom 

 when tasted, but we have heard it objected to as 

 being rather heavy and indigestible for delicate 

 stomachs. Experience, however, has never enabled 

 us to support this charge, and we can only say with 

 Dr Badham, that " it is the most savoury fungus with 

 which we are acquainted." 



There are two or three other agarics which have 

 many points in common with the foregoing, from a 

 gastronomic point of view, that we purpose including 

 them here, as the same modes of cooking are applic- 

 able to all. The first of these are the Blewits 

 (Agaricus personatus), which is a truly autumnal 

 species, sometimes collected as late as November, and 

 seldom appearing at all until October. It loves the 

 grass in open places, such as parks, but not woods 

 and forests. Sowerby has stated that in his time it 



