99 
in a fir plantation where, appareirtly, no other vegetable life would 
grow but the tree itself. The variety is ino.st delicious, equal, (to 
my mind) if not superior to Agaricus cumpentris. 
Marasmtus oreadcs. Fairy ring champignon. The last named 
fungus, the lloletus, was of wood or forest growth — this never is. 
It is, in my experience, the most common roadside mushroom, but 
it grows in pastures and parks, even in Hyde Park, in Padham’s 
time. Everybody knows the fairy rings, but few know that most 
of them are 'formed by fungi, which are, whether in'the fre.sh or 
dried state, (to use Smith’s words,) “ so exquisitely rich and de- 
licious in flavour, that no recommendation can be too stroii" for 
them." Mr. Berkeley says of it, “it is the very be.st of all our 
fungi.” [ have eaten these champignons fresh, dried, and in 
powder, and can fully endor.se all the above-named authorities say 
of them. 
Mr. John Henry Gurney, in a letter to me, .speaks of an excellent 
pickle composed of the “Fairy Bing Fungus;’’ and Mr. l^Iiles 
says, “ I think highly ot them, fried or stewed — I have also dried 
and preserved them.” 
The champignons may bo dried, which is very easily done by 
the exposure ot a few days to the air, and they will keep for years, 
still retaining their aroma. IMr. Amyot first introduced them to 
me in a powdered condition, in which state they make an excellent 
condiment, and appear to impart as miich flavour to a dish as in 
their fresh state. 
\ou will see depicted at fig. 28 the Marasmius oreades • it must 
be distinguished from the false champignon, Afarasmitis urejis, 
which is poisonous, and as you will see in ]\Ir. Smith’s book, who 
relates that he once poisoned himself with it in Bedfordshire, having 
gathered in the dark some of both species. 
The true champignon has a smooth, convex, sub umbonate, sinuate 
pilous, tough and wrinkled, cream coloured, with gills far ajiart, and 
of the same colour as the pileus — never grows in woods — stem solid, 
twisted, and very tough, whitish — no hairs at base. 
The false champignon, on the other hand, is more slender, pileus 
depressed and fragile, especially when moist— gills dark, and closer 
set — stem has downy hairs, and is hollow — often grows in woods. 
Morchella csculanta. The morel. Mr. Crowfoot reports morels 
.as rare about Beccles, luit that he has .seen tliem at Gilliiw- 
'o 
II 2 
