EDIBLE FUNGI. 
433 
and, by itself, sliced and stewed, with butter, pepper, and salt, makes an excellent dish, 
with a mushroom flavour peculiarly its owu. If anything unusual is to be done in the 
culinary way by a French cook, he would ask for Chanterelles, which would probably 
cost as many guineas as they ought to do shillings, though they are not uncommon near 
London. 
Some fine specimens of the following were shown, connected with which useful infor¬ 
mation as respects cookery was given :— Agaricus melleus: “ steep in vinegar and water 
for half an hour ; peel and fry with butter, pepper, and salt, with the addition of a little 
Harvey sauce’ or a clove or two, and it will make a better dish than has been repre¬ 
sented.” Lactarius deliciosus , tbe Orange-milk Agaric, which Dr. Badham terms tender 
lamb’s kidneys: when cooking it, “slice to one uniform size; place the pieces in a pie- 
dish. with a little pepper and salt, and a small bit of butter on each side of every slice ; 
tie paper over and bake for three-quarters of an hour; serve in the same hot dish.” 
Gomphidius viscidus : “ those who are fond of a mucilaginous Agaric will like this when 
nicely cooked.” Coprinus atramentarius: “ stewed with gravy and the usual condiments, 
this is very good in the absence of better Agarics. Its chief use is for making ketchup.” 
Hydnum repandum : “ steep in hot water, and drain in a cloth ; cook in the ordinary 
way, and there is no better.” 
Passing from edible to poisonous Fungi, Dr. Bull remarked that the proportion which 
the latter bear to the former is not greater than that of poisonous to wholesome plants. 
Poisonous plants were known and avoided, and it was just that knowledge which was 
required with regard to Fungi. Dr. Bull thought the Royal Horticultural Society had 
done well to encourage an exhibition of Fungi, for though figures and descriptions in 
books were very useful, they were not equal to the actual specimens; moreover, if the 
wealthy did not first begin to use them, he was sure the poor would never be induced 
to do so. 
Among poisonous Fungi the following were those to which Dr. Bull directed atten¬ 
tion :— Boletus luridus , which becomes green and subsequently blue after being cut, was 
first noticed. Next came one remarkable on account of its beauty, viz., Agaricus mus- 
carias, of which fine examples were furnished by the chairman. This was said to be one 
of the most poisonous Fungi known. Dr. Badham, it w'as related, had sent specimens 
of it to some ladies to be sketched, intending shortly to call and speak to them about it; 
but some case of extreme urgency prevented his doing so. The ladies, thinking that 
what came from such an authority was sure to be good, after sketching the specimeu, 
had it cooked, and partook of it, and when Dr. Badham subsequently visited them he 
found them suffering from intoxication, the usual result of eating this Fungus. This 
Agaric is, indeed, employed in Russia for the purpose of inducing intoxication. In 
connection with this circumstance, Dr, Bull took occasion to mention that a Parisian 
medical man undertook to eat any Fungi that might be brought to him, whether poi¬ 
sonous or not, the only precaution taken being to thoroughly steep them in vinegar 
and water before they were cooked. Other poisonous kinds named were Agaricus fas- 
cicularis, a not uncommon kiud ; A. sulphureus , a rarity, -with a handsome yellow top, 
and possessing a strong sulphury scent; A. squamosus, a handsome kind, of which he 
had seen as many as 75 in a cluster; Cyathus vernicosus , C. st.riatus, and Sphcerobolus 
stellatus. Amongst brightly-coloured sorts, in addition to those already mentioned, 
attention was directed to the scarlet Peziza, and Russula rubra; Bulgaria inquinans , 
growing like little black buttons on the bark of a Cherry-tree, was also brought under 
the notice of the meeting. 
Mr. W. G-. Smith, 12, North Grove, Mildmay Park, to whom the second prize for a 
collection of Fungi was awarded, gave the following account of the seeds or spores of 
Fungi:—He stated that nearly all Fungi with white spores or seeds were edible, and 
that as regards form such spores w'ere for the most part roundish or oval, w'hilst spores 
of poisonous Fungi generally took angular shapes, and one, of which he made a draw¬ 
ing, had them covered with spines. The colour of the spores of Fungi, he said, w'as 
mostly the same as that of the gills, and he added that all pink spores were angular, and 
that they belonged to poisonous species.— The Gardeners’ Chronicle , October 10, 18G8. 
