ESCULENT MUSHROOMS. 
473 
Withering states, that when preserved in 
pickle it is very liable to run into the vinous 
fermentation. It makes excellent ketchup, 
according to Badhani. 
18. A. prunuhis. — Stipes white, solid, 
robust, somewhat irregular : pilous three to 
six inches across, thick, convex, irregular in 
shade, more or less tuberculated, cream or 
dirty nankeen coloured, paler in the centre, 
soft to the touch, fragile : gills watery, white, 
very numerous, connected by a tooth to the 
end of the stalk. — This is one of the most 
savoury of the fungi ; it has a strong scent. 
It is readily distinguished from the fungi, by 
its mode of growing in circles, the extreme 
narrowness of its gills, and the thickness of 
its pileus; it moreover appears only in spring, 
when but few species are met with. It occurs 
in pastures, and is very prolific, one ring pro- 
ducing from eight to twelve pounds weight. 
It may be prepared in any of the ways adopted 
with the common mushroom, and has the re- 
commendation of appearing in spring, when 
that is never found. It is also dried and 
preserved for use ; the fresh form is perhaps 
better than the dried, being more tender, 
but in this state it imparts a very rich flavour 
to gravies, soups, &c. It is generally dried by 
being cut into four pieces, and exposed for 
some days to dry air, and is then threaded. 
This fungus is much prized in Italy, where it 
is extensively dried, and sold on strings. 
19. A. ruber. — Stipes short, brittle, white 
blotched with purple stains : pileus rather 
fleshy, hemispherical, afterwards obtusely con- 
vex and subsequently depressed, dry in dry 
weather, sticky in moist weather, of various 
hues — tawny, purple, olive green, ochraceous 
yellow, and several of these united : gills 
fragile, thick and broad, cream coloured, con- 
nected below by transverse veins : flesh 
tender, white, slightly rufescent when cut. — 
This species grows abundantly in woods, from 
July till a late period in autumn. A. alutaceus 
and A. emeticus, two allied acrid kinds, 
may be distinguished from this — the former 
by its buff gills and pungent acridity, the 
latter by its snow-white gills, and extreme 
acrimony. 
20. A. rubescens. — Stipes bulbous, some- 
times scaly, at first stuffed, subsequently hol- 
low with a wide ring marked with stria? ; 
ptileus convex, covered with various sized 
warts, and with even margins : gills atten- 
uated behind : flesh turning obscurely red, 
when cut or bruised. — This species grows in 
woods, in considerable abundance, both in 
summer and autumn. It is very delicate, and 
makes excellent ketchup. 
21. A. vaginatus. — Stipes six inches high 
or more, attenuated upwards, with a volva 
adnate to its base, closely surrounding it 
above as in a sheath, hollow, or stuffed with 
fine cottony fibres : pileus four inches or 
more broad, fleshy, plane slightly depressed 
in the centre, furrowed at the margin, viscid 
when moist, beautifully glossy when dry ; 
gills free, white, ventricose, broadest in front. 
— This occurs not uncommonly in woods and 
pastures from August to October. Being 
delicate and tender, it must not be over- 
dressed. 
22. A. violaceus. — Stipes about four inches 
high, minutely downy, grey tinged with vio- 
let, with a fugaceous veil of fine threads: 
pileus four to six inches broad, obtuse, deep 
violet coloured, covered with soft hairs ; gills 
deep violet changing to tawny ; flesh thick 
and juicy. — It occurs, but not very commonly, 
in the autumn, in woods, particularly under 
pine and fir trees. It may be dressed either 
with a white or brown sauce. 
23. A virescens. — Stipes short, compact, 
stuffed with cottony fibres : pileus flatly con- 
vex, then depressed, whitish, dry, coated 
over with a thick stratum of opaque meal, 
which gradually breaking up as the pileus 
expands, maps it in a singular manner with 
a series of polygonal figures : gills very brit- 
tle, white. — This fungus is very delicate, but 
not common in England. It is best cooked 
on the gridiron. 
24. A. virgineus. — Stipes white, tapering 
downwards, hollow : pileus white, one or two 
inches broad ; margin involute when young, 
then expanded, depressed in the centre : gills 
white, deep connected with veins. — This is a 
small but graceful little Agaric, of pleasant 
taste, but disagreeable odour : they grow in 
pasture?, and are common in autumn. 
25. A. uhnarius. — Stipes thick solic elastic, 
downy at the base : pileus dirty white, turn- 
ing to pale rusty, more or less orbicular : gills 
yellowish, broad, thick, ventricose : flesh 
white, compact. — This species grows on the 
elm, and is met with rarely in the autumn. 
The taste and smell are agreeable : it dries 
well, and may be kept for a long time without 
spoiling. 
Boletus. — Pileus always with a central 
stipes : hymenium tubular, the tubes separ- 
able from the substance of the pileus, and 
from each other. 
26. B. edulis. — Stipes thick, four to six 
inches long, reticulated : pileus convex, from 
six to seven inches across ; smooth, yellow or 
brown : tubes nearly free, roundish, minute, 
whitish, at length yellowish : Jlesh white, not 
changing colour. — This Boletus is frequent in 
woods, in the autumn. Its tender and juicy 
flesh, and delicate and sapid flavour, strongly 
recommend it. Mr. Berkeley says, that 
" though much neglected, it appears to be 
a most valuable article of food, resembling in 
