26 OCTOBER 1945, Page 14

Edible Mushrooms A number of correspondents take me to task

for a "sin of omission." They are unanimous in their praise of the King Penguin book, Edible Fungi (price 2s), by John Ramsbottom, who recently gave an admirable broadcast. The book gives coloured plates that are so clear and lifelike as to allow of " no possible doubt," very minute, foolproof descriptions, and in addition some good recipes. The wide interest in the subject, and the multiplication of the mushroom-minded, is indicated by the addresses of these correspondents. They write, for example, from Dum- bartonshire and Dorset. I urged greater attention to the subject from the Ministry of Agriculture. Such attention is paid by municipal authori- ties in some parts of France. A visitor to the market place at Poitiers was much struck by the display of many baskets of many sorts of edible fungi, and each basket contained a certificate of edibility signed by an official of the Municipality. Did anyone ever hear of any official of any English Council taking so motherly an interest in its people?