From: rusty.hinge@foobar.girolle.co.uk   
      
   On 25/09/13 07:12, tree wrote:   
      
   > "RustyHinge"  wrote in message   
   > news:l1rqhc$r7t$1@dont-email.me...   
   >> On 22/09/13 06:44, tree wrote:   
   >> I also collected a   
   >>> purple Russula in the area which has been annoying me for a while, and   
   >>> still   
   >>> did not manage to identify it.   
   >>   
   >> You're fighting a losing battle there. I don't know how many species have   
   >> been identified within Russula, but experts can't agree.   
   >>   
   >> Even using an array of chemicals, a × 1,000 magnification microscope and   
   >> associated dyes etc, certainty is not certain...   
   >>   
   >   
   > Yeah, I tried some FeSO4 (from my childhhood chemistry set) on the flesh,   
   > seemed to turn pink but I think the chemical has gone a bit "off" over the   
   > decades.   
      
   Ferrous sulphate isn't likely to 'go off' unless it's not been kept in a   
   bottle. Use it sparingly - you've probably no idea how difficult it is   
   to get chemicals these days.   
      
   > Even if it had turned pink it seemed to indicate species under pine   
   > and I found this under Norway Spruce. Over the years I've become less   
   > obssessed with ID'ing species (unless I'm going to eat them!) and more   
   > content to enjoy the beauty of them and their surroundings. I do though keep   
   > a database with my finds with lots of "unknowns".   
      
   Sulpho-vanillin and/or ammonia are useful with Russlae. Usually, pine   
   can be understood to include spruce for many species. Some are directly   
   associated with certain trees - look out for Lactarius deliciousus and   
   L. deterrimus under spruce.   
      
   >> You don't say where in Scotland. I've found the Western Isles to be rather   
   >> poor in the larger fungi, but the Western Highlands to be really   
   >> bountiful. Perthshire has produced several excellent meals (The Birks of   
   >> Aberfeldy being especially productive, as were the woods of Braid just   
   >> outside Edinburgh. Stirlingshire is not to be sniffed at, either.   
   >   
   > I live in Fife but often go up the M90 into Perthshire. In fact I'm going to   
   > do that today as I've got a day off. I love it there, feels like the place I   
   > belong. My mother's family farmed in Perthshire so I guess the place is in   
   > my blood.   
      
   Ah,the Kingdom of Fife. Had a g.f. who lived - still lives - in   
   Moniefieth. My grandfather farmed in the Trosschs, then moved to North Kent.   
      
   > I just discovered Stirlingshire this year, some nice forests- haven't been   
   > there in proper mushroom season yet. Also there looks to be some interesting   
   > plantations near Callander but I hate having to drive so far.   
      
   The banks and braes of bonnie Doune have yielded many a meal, as have   
   the more distant ones between Fort William and Fort Augustus. Somewhere   
   in Stirlingshire I happened on ranks of blushers, and took a large   
   cardboard carton of them home. My favourite mushroom, the blusher. (And   
   I must be doing something right as I've passed 73...)   
      
   --   
   Rusty Hinge   
   To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)