=DESCRIPTION.= PILEUS. At first oval and hard; margin then
separating from the stem; then equally cylindrical, margin turning
black; finally expanded, and decaying by dissolution into inky
fluid. Color of pileus variable from brown to pure white, always
woolly, shaggy, the cuticle coming off in layers like the scales
of a fish.
GILLS. At first white, crowded; possibly pink, then dark purple,
or black, and moist.
STEM. Thick at base, equal above ground, hollow, appearing like
macaroni cooked.
VOLVA. None, but ring present, and movable in the full-grown
specimen.
SPORES. Black. SMELL strong, especially at centre of pileus.
TASTE. Pleasant raw, but should not be eaten after it is moist and
black.
GROWS in rich lawns, roadsides, or newly filled city grounds, in
groups or solitary.
=TO COOK.= For about twenty mushrooms, put into a saucepan one gill of
milk or cream, add salt and pepper to the taste, with a piece of
butter the size of the larger specimens above; when it boils, put in
the stems and small hard mushrooms; after ten minutes' boiling add the
larger specimens; keep the dish covered and boiling for ten minutes
longer, then pour the stew over dry toast, and serve.
=TO SERVE WITH MEAT.= Chop the mushrooms fine, let them simmer ten
minutes in one half gill of water, with butter, salt and pepper as for
oyster sauce; thicken with flour or ground rice; pour over the meat
and cover quickly.
N. B. But very little fluid is needed in cooking this mushroom, as it
yields a rich juice of its own. It should always be cleaned before
cooking, by scraping it smooth and until it is perfectly white.]
[Illustration: PLATE III.