December 2. 
THE COTTAGE GAKDENER. 
1C9 
bill, swell up in small pimples nearly the size ef a small pea, 
and very frequently a kind of froth is seen working about 
over the eyes. After being from home for two or three days, 
I found one with the disease in a very advanced stage, and 
on taking it up in my hand it appeared little header than 
the bones and feathers should have been. I took the little 
sufferer and washed all its head about the nostrils with 
soap and milk-w'arm water, and dried it with a cloth, gave 
it a little toasted bread steeped in tea, part of which I had 
to put down its throat, being so blind it could hardly see. 
Having before tried everything recommended in book, and 
many things beside, without effect, I again tried as a change 
(thinking it very probable the bird would die at any rate) 
some iodide of potassium. I dissolved ten grains in an 
[ ounce of water, and having taken a small piece of loaf- 
1 bread an inch square, and half that in thickness, I dropped 
some of the iodide on the bread, say about sixty drops, and 
gave it. Next morning I again washed it with soap and 
water, and dried it, gave it a few grains of corn, which it 
either could not see to eat, or did not feel inclined to do so. 
I then gave it a little toast steeped in tea, as before, and 
' concluded with giving it the same quantity, ns before, of 
’ iodide, and in the evening I repeated exactly the same, 
I toast and iodide. The following day it was decidedly better, 
and ate the little corn I gave it evidently with a relish, after 
which I gave it the toast and iodide, and continued that 
ti’eatment for about a week, when I put it out with the other 
fowls, and only occasionally afterwards giving it a little of 
the same medicine; in about a fortnight to three weeks it was 
as well as any fowl in my walk. Since then, I have treated 
many of them in the same way, for the same disease, and 
since having done so, I have not lost a single fowl, and I 
' shall be glad if it be found to be as useful to others as it 
has been to me. I have found cream-of-tartar the best 
laxitive medicine for fowls, and have almost always ended 
my cure hy giving them a little ; as much as will lie on a 
sixpence, for a full-grown fowl, is a sufficient dose. 
If you think the above remarks of use to any of your 
numerous readers they are at your disposal, and you may 
hear again how my other cross-breeds succeed.—A. S. W., 
Gldsyow. 
EATABLE FUNGI. 
{Continued from jinge 110.) 
The Hi/dnums form another genus, most of which are 
eatable, and several highly esteemed as food. Hydnum 
erinaceum, wliich is found growing upon old oaks, forms a , 
common article of diet in the Vosges, a range of mountains [ 
separating Lorraine from Alsace. Hydnum coralloides is 
eaten in Piedmont and Tuscany. H. aiiriscalpium, which is I 
indigenous to this country, and found growing on fir canes ; I 
and H. leuninimnm, a native of Sweden, are also eatable, j 
H. (dbnm, has somewhat the flavour of the Cantarille. | 
H. repandiim, however, is the one most generally esteemed, I 
and is reckoned amongst the most delicate fungi of Italy, j 
In preparing it for the table, being a very dry fungus, it j 
requires to be cooked for a long time, or it is tough ; but j 
when well stewed in rich gravy, it forms an excellent dish, ' 
and has a slight flavour of oysters. 
The Boletuses form another genus, which, although in¬ 
cluding poisonous species, contains also many that are 
valued as an article of diet, as much, if not more, than any 
previously mentioned. So highly. Dr. Badham says, is the 
B. ediilis esteemed, that gold, and silver, and dresses, may 
he trusted to a messenger, but not this Boletus, because 
he would eat it on the road! Perhaps no genus of the 
fungi supplies such abundance of food to so large a jjro- 
portion of the population of the globe. The species are 
generally of large dimensions, and are found in immense 
profusion. B. eduUs is the easiest cultivated of all fungi, j 
and is found growing naturally almost in every locality 
where an oak-tree or trees exist, and B. scaher is almost 
as abundant. According to Drummond, many species 
of Boletus are used as food in AVestern Australia; and I 
have no doubt that those fungi seen by travellers, the di¬ 
mensions of which equalled crouching lions, belonged to 
this genus. Tlie B. scaber is a favourite amongst the 
Piussians and Poles, who have many ways of cooking it. 
In Hungary, a soup is made of B. cdulis, and considered 
a great delicacy. In other parts of the Continent, many 
species, as B. suhtomeutosus, B. yranulus, B. eduUs, B. 
scaber, &c., are brought into the markets, but, undoubtedly, 
B. ediilis is considered by all as the best, and in my 
opinion, when fresh, is good eaten in any way. I have 
eaten it raw with bread and butter and enjoyed it. My ex¬ 
perience, however, has taught me that it is best to remove 
the tubes of this genus before using them as an article of 
diet, as independent of their being watery, they have a hot 
peppery taste, and are very liable to be loaded with insects 
or their eggs. 
AA'ith respect to dressing the Boletuses, more especially 
ediilis, I quite agree with Dr. Badham, when he says it will 
improve any dish. I will give, however, the following 
recipes:— 
Boletus eduUs soup, as made in Hungary (Paulet). 
Having dried some Boletuses in an oven, soak them in 
tepid water, thickening vvith toasted bread, till the whole be 
of the consistence of a puree, then nib through a sieve, 
throw in some stewed Boletuses, boil together, and serve 
with the usual condiments. 
Boletus ediilis is also fine fried in fresh hutter, served up 
on dry toast, and eaten with or without beef steaks, the 
seasoning with salt, pepper, (fee., left to the cook. 
Agarics form the largest genus of the fungi, and produce 
many, both poisonous and eatable. I regret that space will 
not allow me to enumerate all its sjtecies, which, as is well 
known, have from time to lime been used in different parts 
of the globe as food. The British I sliall briefly notice 
here, as my next paper will be confined to the British fungi 
exclusively. The Agarics ai'e dispersed in almost every 
region of the globe, affording to both savage and civilised 
natives an abundant supply of wholesome and nutritious 
food. On the Continent, and more especially in Poland and 
Russia, several Agarics are used and highly esteemed as an 
ai’ticle of diet. Agaricus transliicens has been reported to be 
eaten by the people of Montpelier, but it is a very watery 
mushroom, and must fomi a very indifferent food. A. 
nivalis is said to be eaten by the Tuscans, but I cannot re¬ 
commend it as an article of diet in this country. 
A. vaginutiis is eaten largely by the poor of Muscovy, 
but cases are on record in which it has proved poisonous. 
A. procerus, which is known by many other names, is 
largely used throughout France and Italy. The receipts for 
dressing Agarics are numerous. I shall, therefore, only 
give a few which may be also found most useful for dressing 
fungi generally. 
Fried Fungi .—The usual method of frying fungi is 
either in oil or fresh butter. The latter I consider far pre¬ 
ferable, and served up in the following way:—AVhen the 
fungi are nearly done, have ready some dry toast, place it in 
the frying-pan, and in a few minutes turn it, place the fungi 
on the toast, sprinkle them with a little pepper and salt, 
and when the toast is wann through, convey them to the 
table, and eat while hot. 
Grilled Fungi .—Many fungi are far preferable grilled, but 
will require a little butter to prevent their burning, and may 
be seasoned as in the last, with pepper and salt; as, however, 
the essence of the fungus is often deposited in the fire 
in a liquid state, my experience has taught me, if the cook 
possesses good patience, and time is not an object, that 
toasting on a fork, or in a Dutch-oven, with many fungi, is 
far preferable, as in this way they do not get burnt, and the 
liquid is preserved. 
Stuffed Mushrooms .—Take large mushrooms, full-grown, 
but remove the gills, and place in lieu of them the fol- 
lowuig stuffing :—Bacon shredded, crumbs of bread, chopped 
herbs, and a little garlic or eschalot (as for omelettes), salt, 
pepper, and a taste of spice. Broil in paper as a maintenon 
cutlet, moistening with butter when necessai-y. 
Mushroom Dumplings .— An agreeable dish may be made 
from the common mushroom, by simply cutting up the 
small (or button) mushrooms, and fonning them into a 
dumpling, with pieces of bacon the size of a dice, and a 
sprinlde of salt and pepper. F. Yoeke Brocas. 
{To be continued.) 
