On Mushroom Eating 



botanist, Professor L. C. Richard, impressed with the danger, 

 that although no one was better acquainted with the dis- 

 tinctions of fungi than he was, yet he would never eat any 

 except such as had been raised in mushroom beds in gardens." 



Dr. Plowright, whose experience we have already quoted, 

 contributed an article on " How to Discriminate between 

 Edible and Poisonous Fungi" to Science Gossip in 1876. He 

 concludes with the remark : " There is one way, and only one, 

 by which edible fungi can be discriminated from poisonous 

 ones with absolute certainty, and that is by a knowledge of 

 the individual species." This amounts to an acknowledg- 

 ment that, excepting in the hands of professed botanists, very 

 few are safe. 



The following is a list of the commonest and best known 

 edible British Fungi. There are many others which are 

 accounted good by enthusiasts, but these are all that enjoy 

 any degree of popular favour in England or are likely to be 

 exposed for sale : — 



The Urchin of the Woods (Hydnum repandum). Entire 

 plant pale yellow. August to October. Brittle, gregarious, 

 terrestrial. It has spines instead of gill-plates. 



The Oak-tongue or Beefsteak Fungus (Fistulina hepatica). 

 Red, jelly-like when young. Pores pale at first, then reddish. 

 Flesh red, streaked like beetroot. June to November. On 

 living trunks of old oaks. Solitary. 



The Dainty Bolet {Boletus edulis). Pileus brownish, 3 to 

 6 inches across, stem reticulated, pale brown, without a ring. 

 Pores lemon colour or yellowish-green. In twos and threes 

 under oaks in woods and meadows, July to October. 



The Ink-cap (Coprinus atramentarius). Pileus greyish, 

 plicated. Stem long, white and hollow. Whole plant dis- 

 solves into an inky black fluid at maturity. On rich soils 

 or old wood, tufted. June to October. 



The True Mushroom or White Pratelle (Agaricus campestris). 

 The best known of our esculent fungi. There are several 

 well-marked varieties. The so-called " Horse Mushroom ' 

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