By C. E. Broome, Esq. 173 



Fungi. Botrytis Bassiana causes annually vast loss to the 

 growers of silk in France, by the havoc it makes among the silk- 

 worms, the healthy worms contracting the disease by contact with 

 the spores of the Fungus. The mycelium of Cordyceps entomorrhiza 

 attacks living caterpillars, but does not develope its curious head 

 of fruit till after the animal has buried itself in the earth, for the 

 purpose of changing to a chrysalis, when the mycelium having 

 pervaded the whole interior of the caterpillar, proceeds to develop 

 its stem, surmounted by an ovate head covered with perithecia. 

 One of the most formidable diseases to which man is subject, the 

 Fungus foot of India, is produced by a species of mould, (Chionyphe 

 Carteri). The cutaneous disease in the human frame, called Tinea 

 lupinosa, can be propagated by inoculation with the spores of the 

 Fundus causing it, and several cutaneous disorders have been gener- 

 ated by inoculation with yeast globules. The above are instances 

 of the destructive power of the plants, with which we are concerned. 

 A few words may now be said about their uses, as articles of food, 

 &c. We are all well acquainted with the common Mushroom, and 

 we know what an excellent addition it makes to our culinary 

 department, but few are aware of the uses to which several other 

 species may be put, as articles of food. One very common kind is 

 the Fairy ring Agaric, A. oreades, which if cut in the early 

 unexpanded state, and dressed in white sauce, forms an excellent 

 dish for the table, and is so abundant in some localities, that it 

 might be collected by the bushel. The merits of our Morels and 

 Truffles have been more generally recognized, and they realize a 

 considerable price in Covent Garden. Although the latter are far 

 inferior to the French and Italian kinds, yet they give employment 

 to many of the peasantry in the chalk districts, as in the vicinity 

 of Salisbury and Winchester, who find them during the winter by 

 the aid of dogs trained for the purpose. Those who wish to gain 

 further information about our esculent Fungi, should obtain 

 Dr. Badham's book, which contains a great deal of very useful 

 and entertaining matter, and is written in a pleasant easy style. 



Another use to which a member of the Fungus tribe is subservient, 

 is the fermenting of liquors, &c, caused by yeast, which is a 



