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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Fungus Exhibitions which were held at the Society's Hall*7
at South Kensington. These began in 1868*8 and apparently
ceased in 1875, though in 1903 there was an exhibit of edible
species and a lecture by M. C. Cooke. It was with a view of
bringing the subject before the public that prizes were offered
by Lady Dorothy Nevill and Mrs. Lloyd Wynne. "The prizes
"in later years were provided by W. Wilson Saunders and
"there were two classes : Collections of Edible and Poisonous
"Fungi (I. £5, II. £3) and Collection of Edible Fungi (I. £3, II.
"£2, III. £1)."
James English and Worthington G. Smith exhibited regu-
larly and many eminent mycologists sent specimens. Dr. H. G.
Bull won the first prize at the first show and the same year
arranged as an extra field meeting of the Woolhope Naturalists'
Field Club the first "foray among the fungusses" at Here-
ford.
This was very successful and may be regarded as the origin
of the forays held since in this country. It is worth noting that
Maxime Cornu attended the first Epping foray and said that
he hoped on his return to initiate similar meetings in Paris.
The "Societe mycologique de France" with its forays began in
1885.
The Essex foray has usually been restricted to one day, but
sometimes, as in 1887, it lasted two days. On this occasion
the party was driven by James English's cottage in Epping
"in order that the members might wave a good-bye and good
"wishes to our staunch coadjutor in past autumnal huntings."
English had more than a local reputation on account of his
preparations of fungi and flowering plants, some of which are
still to be seen in Museums.*9
The Transactions of our Club and the Essex Naturalist
contain much information about the fungi of the county and
*7 This is now occupied for the most part by the Imperial War Museum, The East of the
building bears the inscription : "These Gardens, commenced mdccclix, were first opened to the
public in June mdccclxi with . . ." The abrupt ending is due to a portion of the Imperial
Institute here joining the old building at right angles. The gardens, which stretched to
Exhibition Road, were taken over in 1887 by the Commissioners of the 1851 exhibition who
owned the site.
*8 M. J. Berkeley wrote concerning the first exhibition: "A few years since there was an
almost insuperable prejudice in this country against every kind of Fungus except the Common
Mushroom and Truffle."
*9 James Lake English. "A Manual for the preservation of the Larger Fungi
(Hymenomycetes) in their natural condition, by a new and approved method : also a new process
for the preservation of Wild Flowers" (1882).