VEGETABLE BEEF STEAK. 123 



In the case of agarics it is understood that young 

 specimens, or at least before fully matured, are the 

 most delicate and best for the table. This order is 

 reversed with the beef steak fungus, which is best 

 when it is fully ripe or matured. The young fungus, 

 growing upon oak, appears to obtain too much tannin 

 from the tree, so that it is bitter or astringent, and by 

 no means attractive, but when quite mature all 

 astringency has vanished, and the fungus is in its 

 prime. So long as decay has not commenced this 

 sort of beef steak, like game, should be rather high. 

 It is an excellent provision for the benefit of fungus 

 eaters of every degree, that it is very rare to find a 

 vegetable beef steak maggotty. We have gathered 

 specimens too numerous to mention, and cannot 

 remember a single instance in which they were so 

 attacked. Lovers of Fistulina Itepatica are recom- 

 mended always to note, and note down, a tree where- 

 on it is found, because the probabilities are strongly 

 in favour of its occurring annually on that same tree, 

 and in the same spot, for many consecutive years. 

 This is not supposition but the result of many a 

 fortunate experience. 



The Fistulina is an excellent illustration of the 

 mistake so common to most persons who have little 

 experience of fungus eating. That mistake consists 

 in taking the common mushroom as the type, and 

 supposing that all others must resemble it in such 

 manner as to be a substitute for it, or replace it. 



