1836

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART HI.

are the eatable boletus and the truffle (the latter of whichwe shall treat of under the art. Fitgus), both of which areexcellent in cookery. The eatable boletus, or cepe, or ceps,comprises three species, viz. : — .Boletus edulis Bull. t. 60.and t. 495., Dec. FI. Fr., p. 330., Sow., t. 111., Roques’s Hist,des Champ., p. 61. t. 4. f. 2. and t. 5. f. 1, 2, and 3., and ourJig. 1689., syn. B. esculentus Pers. Obs, Mycol., i. p. 23.,the ceps ordhutire of the French markets; B. se'reus Bid!.,t. 375., or ceps now; B. aurantiacus Bull., t. 236., the gyrole rouge, or roussile,of the French , a variety of B. scaber Bull., t. 132. Besides these names,the different kinds of ceps are called, in the different provinces of France ,hruquet and potiron ; and in Italy , pordno and ceppatellobuono. The ceps resembles a mushroom in appearance,with a large pileus, or cap, covered with a yellowish orbrownish skin; and the lower surface consisting of slightlyattached half-round tubes, in the same situation as thegills are in the common mushroom. These tubes, whichare, in France , vulgarly called lefoin, are removed with theskin and stalk, and only the solid part of the cap is eaten.

(See Diet. Classique d’Hist. Nat., tom. ii. p. 390.) Theflesh of the solid part is white, firm, and extremely de-licate, particularly when young; and it is applied in cookery,not only to all the purposes of the common mushroom, but it is eaten rawwith salt and pepper, or made into soup. In Roques’s Histoire des Champignons,4to, several receipts are given for preparing it; and the following observationsare added on its history and culture : —

All the varieties of ceps are delicate. The flesh is fine, of a deliciousflavour, an agreeable smell, and snowy whiteness; particularly in the youngplants, which ought always to be preferred. A great quantityof this fungusis consumed in the south of France, particularly at Bordeaux and Bayonne,where it is frequently called champignon Polonais , the Polish mushroom;“ because it was the Poles in the suite of Stanislaus Leczinski who taughtthe French that it might be eaten without danger.” It is also much used inHungary, and other parts of central Europe, and in Russia . “ The best cepsgrows on the banks of copse woods, planted with the oak or sweet chestnut;or on heathy ground, rather hill}’, and shaded with oak trees. In the southof France , the first gathering of this fungus is in May, when the skin of theceps is yellowish, and the flesh white, with a faint tinge of rose colour, amiextremely delicate. The second gathering is in July, August, and Septem-ber, when the skin becomes of a dark brown, and the flesh acquires ahigher flavour. The last gathering is in November and December, if theweather continues open; but the flesh has then become soft, and nearlyinsipid. These fungi, which are extremely wholesome and nutritious, growsometimes so large, that one or two will suffice for the repast of severalpersons.” (Hist, des Champ,, p. 61.) The Rev. M. J. Berkeley, speakingof this fungus, in the fifth volume of the English Flora, says: “ Thoughneglected in this country, it appears to be a valuable article of food. Itresembles in taste the common mushroom, and is quite as delicate; and itmight be used to much advantage, as it abounds in seasons when a mush-room is scarcely to be found. Like that, it can be cultivated, but by amuch more simple process; as it is merely necessary to moisten the groundunder oak trees, with water in which a quantity has been allowed to ferment.The only precaution requisite is, to fence in the portion of ground destinedfor the production of the fungus, as deer and pigs are very fond of it.(Eng. FI., v. p. 153.)

Several fungi grow on the leaves, some of the most remarkable orwhich are: Agaricus dryophyllus Sow., t. 127., very fragile, and difficult togather without breaking, or rubbing off the skin; A. yiorreus Fr,, syn.A. ralliaceus Sow,, t. 81., remarkable for its strong and abiding smell ot

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