The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-01-21
Abont Mushrooms and che Like.

The atlantic Monthly for February Is
PROMPTLY out, Among its articles are: Eng
lish Folk Songs, by J. V. Blake, with words
and music; Boy Life in Scottish Country
Seat The Bride of Torrisdell, a poem; Mi.
Psrton's Thomas Jefferson as Secretary OF
State; A Chance Acquaintance; Idiosyncra-
cics; A Hunt for Smugglers; Edible Fungi,
&c. The author Of the last-named article
furnishes vast amount o! useful lniorlna'
ton in regard to these articles Of food. We
quote few passages
No American has as yet published any
treatise on the subject, which leaves our IN.
quirers in the dark. We have distinguished
mycologists who doubtless have arranged our
fungi scientifically, and can give the name to
any form they may see, but their labors have
not been published in such form as to be-
come common guide, nor do we Know WDe-
tlcr those who made their classification a SCI
ence have ever demonstrated by actual ex-
pertinent their edible value.
The writer has tried the edible qualities Of
forty kinds of fungi, but is ignorunt OF the
specific names of American fungi, so that
possibly to the scientific ear bis descriptions
may seem incorrect. Armed with plates of
English and French fungi, and works giving
their scientific names, he has collected some
which were very delicious.
The edible qualities of various ASarlc' are
well known on the continent of Europe to
the common people, who eat them freely ana
make money by their sale. while i'll Great
Britain scientific men only have yentured to
explore the field and the forest in search Of
additions to the table.
On the Continent, eaten fresh, dried. pre-
seryed 10 oil, vinegar, or salt, fungi constr
tute, for weeks together, the food OF many
people; and in Rome there is an Inspector OF
fungi who daily examines the supplies which
come in from the country, and condemns all
that are unsound or unsafe, TO be thrown
away !; and, curiously enough, the law points
out BY name our Gvorite AJdricus cdmpeS-
iris as poisonous, and orders it to be thrown
into the Tiber.
1t is commonly supposed that fungi are
the consequence of decay, and we do find
the greatest number on dccaying substances !;
but we find them also on glass, flints, metals,
in poisonous solutions, in pure and undo
composed water. An instance is given OF q
blacksmith who threw aside piece of iron
ut night, fresh forged, and found it in the
morning covered with an cthali,m two feet
in length. Gun-barrelS and swort-scabbardS
left in damp, close rooms have become COW
cred with blue mould in few days. The
lapitity with which many, if not all. fungi
grow battles calculation; the great puti-ball,
Lyccperdon 9igentcun,. will grow as large as
i peck measure in forty-eight hours; and
specimens of Agaricus campeSifS have de-
vcloped from the button, which is q bud of
the size of IA pea, to mushroom as large rs
coilcc-saucer in night; but it must not lie
supposed that all this increase Of size is a
single nights actual growth. Agarics are
many weeks forming under the surface
their cells are small md closely packed, and
ready to expand when the moisture and
temperature are favorable.
There is good field for investigation in
tine fungi; and as the edible fungi are very
numerous, both as individuals md species,
and might add great deal of food as well as
flavor to our culinary resources, we hope
some other inquircrs will carry our expert
ments further. There is no more reason fol
rejecting the good fungi because OF the bad
species than for declining to eat apples, pears
peaches, and strawberries because straw
berries poison some people, and bitter al
monds everybody. There is hardly family
Ot edible plants that is without some offend
ins member; and were the bad to exclude
the good, the list Of useful plants woulc
shrink into very narrow compass.