2l6 BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



different species, but none of them too common, and 

 the small ones may be dried on strings, entire, the 

 larger cut into segments. It is a curious circum- 

 stance that the natives in the Vale of Cashmere and 

 on the slopes of the Himalayas dry the morels on 

 strings, in which form they are sold in the bazaars of 

 North Western India as articles of food. One of the 

 species is identical with one lately found in Scotland 

 {Morchella deliciosd). They are dried in France and 

 Italy, and we have purchased dried imported morels 

 in Covent Garden market, but seldom seen fresh 

 ones. 



An excellent substitute, similar in flavour, are the 

 Helvellas, which are more common with us, and at a 

 later season of the year. The only two species large 

 enough for drying {Helvella crispa and Helvella 

 lacunosd) may be collected in such places as Epping 

 Forest, during the autumn, and are perhaps more 

 suitable for drying for winter use than for cooking 

 when fresh. Often during an autumnal stroll one or 

 two individuals will be found, and possibly no more, 

 quite insufficient for a dish at the time, but they may 

 be dried, and thus during a season quite a good 

 supply may be obtained, one by one, or at most half 

 a dozen at a time, and they will dry readily, anyhow, 

 without any trouble, if left exposed to the air. 



Truffles will, we fear, never be burdensome from 

 their profusion, but in case any one should desire to 

 experiment on drying them, they should be cut in 



