11 
It may be prepared for tlie table by stewing with butter, spice, pars¬ 
ley, sweet herbs, salt and pepper, and a little pure lemon juice. It 
makes a line catsup, and cut up in small pieces and stewed with butter 
makes an agreeable adjunct to a steak or mutton chop. The catsup may 
be used to give flavor to soup or beef tea. 
This mushroom should be eaten fresh and served hot. 
Dr. Badham says: 
The mushroom having the same proximate principles as meat, requires, like meat, 
to be cooked. 
Mr. Worthington G. Smith says: 
The Agaricus arvensis (horse mushroom) is a species very nearly allied to the 
meadow mushroom and frequently grows with it, but it is coarser and has not the 
same delicious flavor. It is usually much larger, often attaining enormous dimen¬ 
sions; it turns a brownish yellow as soon as broken or bruised. The top in good 
specimens is smooth and snowy white; the gills are not the pure pink of the meadow 
mushroom, but a dirty brownish white, ultimately turning brown. It has a big, 
ragged, floccose ring, and the pithy stem is inclined to be hollow. 
Coprinus comatus Fr. Maned Agaric. 
Fig. 6. 
The maned agaric (Coprinus comatus) is considered one of the most de¬ 
licious of all the mushroom tribe when young. The cap is first cylindri¬ 
cal, then bell-shaped, then expanded, more or less scaly, and split lon¬ 
gitudinally. The flesh is thick in the center and very thin at the 
margin. The gills are free, and at first white or pinkish, then black, 
soon melting into an inky fluid, the color of which is due to the presence 
of black spores. The ring on the stem is moveable, then disappears. 
The stem is white and hollow. This mushroom grows in waste and 
grassy places, lawns, and meadows. Only young specimens are de¬ 
sirable for esculent purposes. Mr. Worthington G. Smith, as the re¬ 
sult of considerable experience, observes: 
It must be noted, however, that when too young this agaric is rather deficient in 
flavor and its fibers tenacious. Its flavor is most rich and its texture most delicate 
when the gills show the pink color with sepia margins. 
It decays rapidly and should be cooked immediately after gathering. 
A very simple method is to broil and serve on toast. 
Morchella esculenta P. 
Fig. 7. 
This mushroom is known under a variety of names —Phallus csculcntus , 
Helvetia esculenta , etc. The genus Morchella has but few species, and 
most authors agree that all are edible. Berkeley considers the Mor- 
ch lla semilibera as doubtful. The head of the morel is deeply pitted, 
hollow, thin, and firm, and when fully grown is several inches in diam¬ 
eter. The morel is found in April and May, in grassy places, on the 
