Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/79

 MUSHKOOM cies are common to both. In the articles FUNGI and LYOOPEEDON reference is made to the recent attempts of English natural- ists to increase the list of edible fungi, and to popularize them as articles of food. In this place are enumerated the principal species which have received the name of mushroom, and are common to both England and the United States. Locality appears to have much to do with the quality of mushrooms. Some of the agarics which are highly esteemed in England have here proved unpalatable, and the common mushroom, A. campestris, so gener- ally eaten elsewhere, is not only rejected in the markets of Italy, but is regarded with dread. This varies considerably, but in all cases is to be distinguished by its white, firm, solid stem, its fleshy cap, and its pink gills ; when the cap begins to expand the gills are pale, but they soon become pink, and on this account it is in some parts of this country Common Mushroom (Agaricus campestris). known as the pink-gill ; when older the gills become chocolate - colored and then tawny black, in which state they are regarded as unfit for food. It has a pleasant and characteristic odor, by which those familiar with it can dis- tinguish the plant. This species is found in pastures, and in some years in great abun- dance ; its proper season is September and October, when our markets are abundantly sup- plied from the wild growth; at other times cultivated mushrooms are to be had, but at very high prices. This is the only species cul- tivated. Mushrooms resemble flesh in flavor more nearly than do any other vegetables, and it is asserted by Badham that they contain similar proximate principles. They are used to form a dish by themselves, either stewed, broiled, or baked, and are largely employed to flavor other dishes, entering into a great variety of stews, fricassees, and sauces ; many are con- sumed in the preparation of catsup, which is the juice of the mushrooms extracted by sprin- kling them with salt and flavored with spices. The general testimony is that mushrooms are highly nutritious, but difficult of digestion, and unsuited to persons with delicate stom- Horse Mushroom (Agaricus arvensis). achs. The horse mushroom (A. arvensis), called snowball in the southern states, has a hollow stem, with a broad, pendulous ring ; a slightly conical cap ; the gills brownish white, and never of the pure pink color of the pre- ceding; while the common mushroom rarely excels 3 or 4 in. across, this is sometimes more than a foot; it turns brownish yellow when broken. This species is quite common, and in English markets is much more abundant than the other. The parasol agaric (A. procerus) has a stem 6 or 8 in. high, hollow, with a loose pith, and tapering upward from a pear- like bulb at the base ; ring loose on the stem ; Parasol Mushroom (Agaricus procerus). the cap when expanded is 3 to 7 in. across, with a blunt point in the centre, and with a brown and more or less torn cuticle; gills white. According to the late Mr. Curtis, this