MUSHROOMS. 301 




































wished. The student, curious in these matters, may be re- 
ferred to these papers in the Journal of the Academy of 
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, for July, 1856 (new 
series), and to those in the Memoirs of several Scientific 
Societies, and to Dr. Curtis’ list of plants alluded to above. 
But in an enterprise like the one before us, the efforts 
of gastronomy must be enlisted, and a series of experiments 
institutéd upon our New England species. Plants thus low 
in the order of vegetation would be most likely to be repre- 
sented by co-species and transatlantic forms, equally good 
for food or dangerous as viands, possessing the chemical 
principles which are to be sought and found in them. 
The fairy-rings, described in English books, are due to 
the presence of a modest little Agaric, figured and colored 
to life, under the name of Marasmius oreades, an appellation 
which we find in Mr. Sprague’s list, but with which we have 
ho personal acquaintance. “The little fairy-ring Champig- 
non,” says M. C. Cooke, “is one of the privileged few that 
enjoy a good reputation, but even in this instance the repu- 
tation is local. In the dried state they are available for 
culinary purposes, while thousands of them annually rot in 
the pastures, where they grow without a hand to gather 
them. There is scarcely a more delicious fungus. It is so 
common in districts that bushels may be gathered in a day. 
They may also be readily dried by stringing them together 
on a thread, and suspending them in a dry kitchen, and 
when thoroughly dried may be kept in close tins.” | 
Allusion has already been made to the Boleti as articles 
of food, of which both England and this country possess 
my Species. In selecting them for trial in cookery, we 
‘re informed that “it will be advisable to caution all who are 
experienced in collecting Boleti, that several are unwhole- 
“ome, some decidedly poisonous. If upon cutting or bruis- 
mg any specimen it should be found to change color, it 
should be rejected. Some species become blue almost im- 
mediately upon wounding; those with reddish stems, OT 
