CHAPTER X. 



EDIBLE FUNGI. 



§ 1. — THE MUSHEOOM. 



Natural history. — The mushroom {Agaricus 

 campestris Linn.) belongs to the natural order 

 Fungi, tribe Hymenomycetes, division Pileati, 

 and class Cryptogamia, order Fungi, in the Lin- 

 nsean arrangement. The generic name Agaricus 

 is derived from Agaria, a region of Sarmatia. 

 A vast number of species are indigenous to Bri- 

 tain, and many are natives of other parts of the 

 globe, chiefly, however, in temperate climates. 

 The English name Mushroom is probably a cor- 

 ruption of Mousseron, the French name of a 

 variety of the fungus called Champignon. The 

 genus Agaricus, like all cryptogamic plants, are 

 produced by seeds, but these are so minute as 

 to require glasses of the greatest power to bring 

 them within the power of human vision. The 

 seeds are placed between the gills or thin flat 

 plates situated under the cap or pileus, and 

 when in a ripened state are discharged spon- 

 taneously in immense numbers in form of small 

 minute granules, by which the species is propa- 

 gated. These falling to the ground, or being 

 blown about by the wind, become attached to 

 the leaves and stalks of grasses and other plants ; 

 are taken into the stomach of certain animals, 

 such as the horse, and pass through the intestinal 

 canal uninjured in their vegetative property ; or 

 falling upon favourable media, become in time 

 transformed into a white thready-like mucreous 

 matter called spawn, which is capable of propa- 

 gation ; and ultimately, when placed in a proper 

 degree of heat and humidity, of reproducing its 

 species in the shape of perfect mushrooms. 



Use. — Ignorance and prejudice are alike diffi- 

 cult to overcome, and this is perhaps in no case, 

 in which the food of man is concerned, more 

 clearly exemplified than in the case of the edible 

 fungi with which our country abounds. Through- 

 out the whole continent of Europe, profitable 

 advantage is taken of them, so that in " France, 

 Germany, and Italy they not only constitute the 

 sole diet of thousands for weeks together, but 

 the residue," Dr Badham remarks, " either fresh, 

 dried, or variously preserved, in oil, vinegar, or 

 brine, is sold by the poor, and forms a valuable 

 source of income to many who have no other 

 produce to bring into the market." So much 

 importance is attached to the consumption of 

 esculent fungi at Rome, that the government, in 



1837, established an official inspector (Ispettoredei 

 Funghi) to examine their qualities, and regulate 

 their sale, which is conducted under the surveil- 

 lance of the police, and a tax equal to a halfpenny 

 sterling is imposed on every 10 pounds' weight. 



In Poland and Russia above thirty sorts are eaten 

 by the peasantry, not only in their fresh state, 

 but dried in stoves, and preserved for winter 

 consumption. The sorts generally used in Bri- 

 tain are, according to Sowerby, in his work on 

 English Fungi, the truffle and morel, both of 

 which are held in high estimation by epicures, 

 and the true mushroom, the Agaricus campestris 

 of botanists. The following species are occasion- 

 ally eaten, and may be so with perfect safety — viz., 

 A. violaceus, A. pratensis, A. deliciosus, A. cinna- 

 moneus, A. lactifluns, A. solitarius, A. canthar- 

 ellus, A. aurentiacus, A. procerus, A. virgineus, 

 A. orcades, or fairy-ring mushroom, from their 

 appearing in old pastures either in entire circles 

 or parts of circles. To these Dr Badham adds, 

 Agaricus vaginatus, A. rubescens, A. excoriatus, 

 A. prunulus, A. personatus, A. heterophyllus, A. 

 virescens, A. ruber, A. piperatus, A. nebularis, 

 A. fusipes, A. ostreatus, A. ulmarius, A. orcella, 

 A. castaneus, A. Georgii, A. comatus, A. atramen- 

 tarius, A. cibarius, Polyporus frondosus, Boletus 

 edulis, B. scaber, Fistulina hepatica, Hydnum 

 repandum, Morchella esculenta, M. semilibera, 

 (the esculenta and hybrida of Sowerby), Helvella 

 crispa and lacunosa, Peziza acetabulum, Bovista 

 plumbea, Lycoperdon plumbeum and bovista, 

 all of the genus Clavaria. The above form the 

 principal of the esculent fungi, and may all be 

 eaten with perfect safety if taken while young 

 or newly gathered. Hitherto the Agaricus 

 campestris, of which, however, there are several 

 sub- varieties, has been the species alone culti- 

 vated in Britain. That there are others de- 

 serving our attention, even in a cultural point of 

 view, there is no doubt. Of these the following 

 may be considered the most important. 



Agaricus prunulus (Vitt.) is found only in 

 spring, growing in rings on the borders of wood- 

 lands, at which time abundance of its spawn 

 may be procured, and may be continued in the 

 same way that the spawn of A. campestris is ; 

 namely, by transplanting it into bricks of loam 

 and horse- dung, in which way it will keep for 

 months. This mushroom is used both in its 

 green and dried state, in which latter state it 



