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ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



reminded of an experience I had some three or four years ago 

 with this species, w hich would have greatly alarmed me had it 

 happened at an earlier date in my experiments, and which would 

 probably have deterred any one unused to this kind of diet from 

 ever indulging in it again. I had a sumptuous dish of it on my 

 supper-table, of which most of my family, as well as a guest 

 passing the night with us, partook very freely. During the night 

 I became exceedingly sick, and was not relieved until depleted of 

 my supper. My first thought, on the accession of the illness, 

 was of Polyporus sulfureus. But as I remembered that inflam- 

 mation was one of the symptoms of Fungus-poisoning, and I 

 could detect no indications of this in my case, I soon dismissed 

 the rising fear, did not send for a doctor, nor take any remedy. 

 Others, who had partaken of the Fungus more freely than my- 

 self, were not at all affected ; and I presume my sickness was no 

 more induced by the Polypore than by the bread and butter I 

 had eaten. And yet, had I alone partaken of the dish, or had 

 one or two others been affected in like manner, doubtless the 

 night attack would have been very confidently attributed by 

 some to the Mushroom. Or, had this been my first trial of that 

 article, possibly I might ever after have regarded it with suspi- 

 cion. I learned, a few days afterwards, from one of our phy- 

 sicians, that this kind of sickness was then somewhat prevalent in 

 the community, and could be attributed to no known cause. 

 For the credit of this species, therefore, we were fortunately able 

 to distinguish the post hoc from the propter hoe. 



There are families in America that for generations have freely 

 and annually eaten Mushrooms, preserving a habit brought from 

 Europe by their ancestors. In no case have I heard of an acci- 

 dent among them. I have known of no instance of Mushroom- 

 poisoning in this country, except where the victims rashly ven- 

 tured upon the experiment without knowing one species from 

 another. 



Among the families above mentioned, I have not met with any 

 whose knowledge of Mushrooms extended beyond the common 

 species {A. campestris), called Pink Gill in this country. Several 

 such families live near me, but not one of them was aware, until 

 I informed them, that there are other edible kinds. Everything 

 but the Pink Gill which had the form of a Mushroom was to 

 them a Toadstool, and poisonous. "When I first sent my son with a 

 fine basket of Imperials (A. Ccesarens) to an intelligent physician 



