70 
CONFESSIONS OF A MYCOPHAGIST. 
some assurance, declares the suspected one to be absolutely un- 
wholesome, and another “bogie ” is set up, to maintain its position 
until some other more practical person, wha does not take his cue 
from tradition, puts the suspicion to the test, and discovers it to be 
groundless. There could not well be a more ridiculous assumption 
than that of the unwholesome character of rachodes , which “ chaste 
as ice, could not escape calumny.” I am convinced that when the 
number of unwholesome fungi is reduced to its lowest denominator, 
it will not be, by any means, an imposing figure. During the past 
forty years a great deal has been done to clear away the insensate 
prejudice against “toadstools,” but much still remains to be 
accomplished, for a bad reputation will cling to persons and things 
for a long time, even when the grounds for the accusation have 
been demonstrated “ not proven.” Both these forms of mush- 
rooms are included by botanists in the sub-genus Lepiota , of which 
there are 36 British species, and I do not believe that a single one 
is unwholesome. 
My mentor always impressed upon me, as I have endeavoured 
to impress upon others, the desirability of cultivating the habit of 
making coloured sketches of all the edible fungi, as a guide for 
future reference. The period of their appearance is so short, and 
there is no mode of drying and preserving them that is at all satis- 
factory, so that the only method of maintaining a record, and 
keeping up the continuity from season to season, is by means of 
water-colour sketches. The objection always urged against carry- 
ing out this plan is the declared want of hand power, the inability 
to make good drawings. Admitting this to be true, it is not, 
therefore, prohibitory, since anyone may acquire confidence, and 
ultimately proficiency, by adopting the plan which I adopted 
myself when I first commenced the study. Take a perfect speci- 
men of the fungus, and cut it with a sharp, long-bladed knife 
through the middle of the cap and stem, longitudinally, to the base. 
This will give two equal halves of the fungus. Lay one of the 
halves, flat cut surface downwards, upon a sheet of white paper, and 
with a sharp-pointed hard pencil trace the outline upon the paper 
with the right hand, whilst the left keeps the half fungus in its 
position, so that it does not slip. When you have traced it all 
round, keeping the point of the pencil close to the edge of the 
fungus, the latter may be removed, and an outline will be left on 
the paper of the exact size and proportions of the original. A few 
details will then require to be added by hand, such as the ring 
round the stem (if it has one), and the line from left to right edge 
of the cap, indicating the lower edge of the cap. After a little 
practice such an outline may be made with great facility. Then 
follows the process of colouring, taking care to match the colours 
as nearly as possible, and not have them too bright. Shading is 
an after consideration, and may be resorted to when the power of 
drawing is more developed. All scales or marks on cap or stem 
should be indicated. Side by side with this sketch another should 
