ee mornings; when, after lying
about an hour, the whole may be covered up, and be found of much
service. In summer, most mushroom-beds in a bearing state require more
or less slight waterings. Soft water should be used for the purpose:
spring water is of too hard and too cold a nature; and, when at any time
applied, checks vegetation. In summer time, a gentle shower of rain, on
open beds that are in bearing and seem dry, will add considerably to
their productiveness.

"A mushroom-bed seldom furnishes any abundance after two or three
months: it has often done its best in six or seven weeks. Heavy rains
are most destructive to mushrooms: therefore care should be taken to
remove the wet straw, or litter, and directly replace it with dry. Hence
the utility of a covered shed, or mushroom-house."

In addition to the foregoing, the following native species may be eaten
with perfect safety, if gathered young and used while fresh:--

AGARICUS COMATUS.

"An excellent species, much employed for making catchup; but should be
used in a young state. It is found growing abundantly on stumps of
trees, appearing both in spring and autumn."

AGARICUS DELICIOSUS. _M'Int._

Sweet Mushroom.

Found in September and October, growing under fir and pine trees. It is
of medium size, yellowish, zoned, with deep orange on the top, somewhat
resembling _A. torminosus_ (a deleterious species), but readily
distinguished from it, as its juice is, when fresh cut, quite red,
afterwards turning green, while that of the latter is white and
unchangeable.

Sir James Edward Smith says it well deserves its name, and is really the
most delicious mushroom known; and Mr. Sowerby is equally high in its
praise, pronouncing it very luscious eating, full of rich gravy, with a
little of the flavor of mussels.

AGARICUS EXQUISITUS. _Badham._

St. George's Mushroom. _M'Int._ Agaricus Georgii.

This species often attains a weight of five or six pounds. It is
generally considered less delicate than the common cultivated mushroom
(_A. campestris_); but in Hungary it is regarded as a special gift from
the saint whose name it bears. Persoon describes it as superior to _A.
campestris_ in smell, taste, and digestibility; on which account, he
says, it is generally preferred in France.

It is found abundantly in many places, generally growing in rings, and
re-appearing for many successive years on the same spot; and, though
sometimes met with in old pasture