,illustration3 ,our ,edible ,mushrooms ,illustration3 ,,the ,,deadly ,,amanita4 ,our ,edible ,toadstools and ,mushrooms and ,how to ,distinguish ,them ,a ,selection of ,thirty ,native ,food ,varieties ,easily ,recognisable by their ,marked ,individualities1 with ,simple ,rules for the ,identification of ,poisonous ,species ,illustration ,,by ,w4 ,,hamilton ,,gibson ,,with ,,thirty ,,colored ,,plates ,,and ,,fifty-,,seven ,,other ,,illustrations ,,by ,,the ,,author ,,new ,,york ,,harper ,,brothers ,,publishers #ahie ,,the ,,works ,,of ,w4 ,,hamilton ,,gibson4 ,,illustrated ,,by ,,the ,,author4 ,,sharp ,,eyes4 ,a ,rambler's ,calendar among ,birds1 ,insects1 and ,flowers4 #hvo1 #e4jj4 ,,highways ,,and ,,byways2 or1 ,saunterings in ,new ,england4 #dto1 #g4ej4 ,,strolls ,,by ,,starlight ,,and ,,sunshine4 ,royal #hvo1 #c4ej4 ,,happy ,,hunting-,,grounds4 ,a ,tribute to the ,woods and ,fields4 #dto1 #g4ej4 ,,pastoral ,,days2 or1 ,memories of a ,new ,england ,year4 #dto1 #g4ej4 ,,camp ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,woods1 and the ,tricks of ,trapping and ,trap-making4 #afmo1 #a4jj4 ,,published ,,by ,,harper ,,brothers1 ,,new ,,york4 ,copyright1 #ahie1 by ,,harper ,,brothers4 ,all rights reserved4 ,dedication ,to the ,reader kind1 gentle1 or other1 to whom1 in the hopes of continued grace and well-being ,the ,frontispiece and the chapter on ,the ,deadly ,amanita is herewith particularly referred with the ,author's ,solicitude ,forewarned is ,forearmed ,for those who do hunger after the earthlie excrescences called mushrooms4--,,gerarde4 ,transcriber's notes3 7#a7 ,underscores in text indicate italics4 7#b7 ,equal signs in text indicate bold font4 7#c7 ,throughout the dialogues1 there were words used to mimic accents of the speakers4 ,those words were retained as written4 7#d7 ,the illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate4 7#e7 ,sidenote labels have all been moved to the top of the paragraph that they refer to1 even when the paragraph has two sidenote labels4 ,contents ,page ,,introduction #a ,,the ,,deadly ,,amanita #dc ,,the ,,agaricace #gg ,,the ,,polyporei #aha ,,miscellaneous ,,fungi #bca ,,spore-,,prints #bgg ,,recipes #bii ,,bibliography #cbe ,,index #cbi ,list of ,plates ,page #a4 ,the ,deadly ,amanita ,frontispiece #b4 ,mycelium1 and early vegetation of a mushroom #de #c4 ,amanita vernus--development #di #d4 ,agaricus 7,amanita7 muscarius #ee #e4 ,agaricus campestris #hc #f4 ,agaricus campestris--various forms of #hi #g4 ,agaricus gambosus #ii #h4 ,marasmius oreades4 ,fairy-ring #aje #i4 ,poisonous ,champignons4 ,m4 urens--,m4 peronatus #aaa #aj4 ,agaricus procerus #aag #aa4 ,agaricus 7,russula7 virescens #abc #ab4 ,edible ,russul4 ,r4 heterophylla--,r4 alutacea--,r4 lepida #aca #ac4 ,russula emetica #aci #ad4 ,agaricus ostreatus #ade #ae4 ,agaricus ulmarius #aea #af4 ,coprinus comatus #aeg #ag4 ,coprinus atramentarius #afc #ah4 ,lactarius deliciosus #afi #ai4 ,cantharellus cibarius #age #bj4 ,boletus edulis #ahg #ba4 ,boletus scaber #aic #bb4 ,edible ,boleti4 ,b4 subtomentosus--,b4 chrysenteron #aii #bc4 ,strobilomyces strobilaceus #bje #bd4 ,suspicious ,boleti4 ,b4 felleus--,b4 alveolatus #baa #be4 ,fistulina hepatica #bag #bf4 ,polyporus sulphureus #bbe #bg4 ,hydnum repandum #bce #bh4 ,hydnum caput-medus #bda #bi4 ,hydnum caput-medus--habitat #bdc #cj4 ,clavaria formosa #bea #ca4 ,various forms of ,clavaria #bec #cb4 ,morchella esculenta #bei #cc4 ,helvella crispa #bfe #cd4 ,a group of ,puff-balls #bga #ce4 ,spore-surface and spore-print of ,agaricus #bhc #cf4 ,spore-surface and spore-print of ,polyporus 7,boletus7 #bhe #cg4 ,spore-print of ,amanita muscarius #bhi #ch4 ,action of slight draught on spores #bia ,illustration ,illustration3 ,introduction ,illustration ,the ,spurned ,harvest ,whole hundred-weights of rich1 wholesome diet rotting under the trees2 woods teeming with food and not one hand to gather it2 and this1 perhaps1 in the midst of poverty and all manner of privations and public prayers against imminent famine4 ,c4 ,d4 ,,badham ,introduction ,a prominent botanical authority connected with one of our universities1 upon learning of my intention of perpetrating a popular work on our edible mushrooms and toadstools1 was inclined to take issue with me on the wisdom of such publication1 giving as his reasons that1 owing to the extreme difficulty of imparting exact scientific knowledge to the general reader1 such a work1 in its presumably imperfect interpretation by the very individuals it is intended to benefit1 would only result1 in many instances1 in supplanting the popular wholesome distrust of all mushrooms with a rash over-confidence which would tend to increase the labors of the family physician and the coroner4 ,and1 to a certain extent1 in its appreciation of the difficulty of imparting exact science to the lay mind1 his criticism was entirely reasonable1 and would certainly apply to any treatise on edible mushrooms for popular circulation which contemplated a too extensive field1 involving subtle botanical analysis and nice differentiation between species4 ,sidenote3 ,identification of fatal species ,but when we realize the fact--now generally conceded--that most of the fatalities consequent upon mushroom-eating are directly traceable to one particular tempting group of fungi1 and that this group is moreover so distinctly marked that a tyro could learn to distinguish it1 might not such a popular work1 in its emphasis by careful portraiture and pictorial analysis of this deadly genus--placarding it so clearly and unmistakably as to make it readily recognizable--might not such a work1 to that extent at least1 accomplish a public service8 ,sidenote3 ,conservative mycology ,moreover1 even the most conservative mycologist will certainly admit that out of the hundred and fifty of our admittedly esculent species of fungi there might be segregated a few which bear such conspicuous characters of outward form and other unique individual features--such as color of spores1 gills1 and tubes1 taste1 odor1 surface character1 color of milky juice1 etc4--as to render them easily recognizable even by the general reader4 ,it is in the positive1 affirmative assumption of these premises that the present work is prepared1 comprising as it does a selection of a score or more1 as it were1 self-placarded esculent species of fungi1 while putting the reader safely on guard against the fatal species and a few other more or less poisonous or suspicious varieties which remote possibility might confound with them4 ,sidenote3 ,popular interest in mushrooms ,since the publication of a recent magazine article on this topic1 and which became the basis of the present elaboration1 ,i have been favored with a numerous and almost continuous correspondence upon mushrooms1 including letters from every ,state in the ,union1 to say nothing of ,canada and ,new ,mexico1 evincing the wide-spread interest in the fungus from the gustatory point of view4 ,the cautious tone of most of these letters1 in the main from neophyte mycologists1 is gratifying in its demonstration of the wisdom of my position in this volume1 or1 as one of my correspondents puts it1 the frightening of one to death at the outset while extending an invitation to the feast4 ,death was often a consequence of toadstool eating1 my friend continued1 but ,i never before realized that it was a certain result with any particular mushroom1 and to the extent of this information ,i am profoundly thankful4 ,sidenote3 ,caution at the threshold ,while1 then1 from the point of view of desired popularity of my book1 the grim greeting of a death's-head upon the frontispiece might be considered as something of a handicap1 the author confesses that this attitude is the result of malice prepense and deliberation1 realizing that he is not offering to the lay public1 for mere intellectual profit1 this scientific analysis of certain fungus species4 ,were this alone the raison d'tre or the logical outcome of the work--mere identification of edible and poisonous species--the grewsome symbol which is so conspicuous on two of my pages might have been spared4 ,but when it is remembered that with the selected list of esculent mushrooms herein offered is implied also an invitation and a recommendation to the feast thereof1 with the author as the host--that the digestive functions of his confiding friends or guests are to be made the final arbiters of the correctness of his botanical identification--the ban of bane may as well be pronounced at the threshold4 ,let the too eager epicurean be scared to death at the outset1 on the general principle pro bono publico1 and to the conciliation of the author's conscience4 ,sidenote3 ,to correspondents ,the oft-repeated queries of other correspondents suggest the wisdom of a clearer definition of the limitations of the present work4 ,several individuals have written in surprise of their discovery of a new toadstool which ,i did not include in my pictured magazine list1 with accompaniment of more or less inadequate description and somewhat enigmatical sketches1 and desiring the name of the species and judgment upon its esculent qualities4 ,such correspondence is a pleasing tribute to an author1 and is herewith gratefully acknowledged as to the past and1 with some mental reservations1 welcomed as to the future4 ,the number of these communications--occasionally several in a day1 and with consequent rapid accumulation--renders it absolutely impossible for a busy man to give them the prompt personal attention which courtesy would dictate4 ,my mushroom pigeon-hole1 therefore1 is still plethoric with the unhonored correspondence of many weeks2 and inasmuch as the continual accession more than balances the number of my responses1 a fulfilment of my obligations in this direction seems hopeless in contemplation4 ,i would therefore beg the indulgence of such of my friends as have awaited in vain for my reply to their kind communications1 even though the future should bring no tidings from me4 ,all of these letters have been received1 and are herewith acknowledged3 many of them1 too1 if ,i may be pardoned what would seem to be a most ungracious comment1 for which the dead-letter office would have been the more appropriate destination4 ,sidenote3 ,consider the recipient ,i refer to the correspondence with accompanying specimens1 the letter occasionally enclosed in the same box with the said specimens1 which1 upon its arrival1 arouses a protest from the local postal authorities1 and calls for a liberal use of disinfectants--a disreputable-looking parcel1 which1 indeed1 would appear more consistently referable to the health-board than to the mycologist4 ,so frequent did this embarrassing episode become that it finally necessitated the establishment of a morgue for the benefit of my mushroom correspondents1 or rather for their specimens1 usually accompanied with the queries1 ,what is the name of this mushroom8 ,is it edible8 ,i have been obliged to write to several of my friends that identification of the remains was impossible1 that the remnant was more interesting entomologically than botanically1 and begging that in the future all such similar tokens shall be forwarded in alcohol or packed in ice4 ,sidenote3 ,rapid decay ,first impressions are lasting and a word to the wise is sufficient4 ,i would suggest that correspondents hereafter consider the hazard of an introduction under such questionable auspices4 ,most species of mushrooms are extremely perishable1 and their animal character1 chemically considered1 and their tendency to rapid decomposition1 render them unfit for transportation for any distance1 unless hermetically sealed1 or their decay otherwise anticipated4 ,in the possibility of a continuance of this correspondence1 consequent upon the publication of this present book1 the writer1 in order to forefend a presumably generous proportion of such correspondence1 would here emphasize the fact that he is by no means the authority on mycology1 or the science of fungi1 which the attitude of his inquiring friends would imply4 ,indeed1 his knowledge of species is quite limited4 ,an early fascination1 it is true1 was humored with considerable zeal to the accumulation of a portfolio of water-colors and other drawings of various fungi--microscopic1 curious1 edible1 and poisonous--and this collection has been subsequently added to at intervals during his regular professional work4 ,more than one of the originals of the accompanying colored plates have been hidden in this portfolio for over twenty years1 and a larger number for ten or fifteen years1 awaiting the further accumulation of that knowledge and experience1 especially with reference to the edibility of species1 which should warrant the utterance of the long-contemplated book4 ,sidenote3 ,number of mushroom species ,the reader will therefore kindly remember that out of the approximate #ajjj odd species of fungi entitled by their dimensions to the dignity of toadstools or mushrooms--after separating the #bjjj moulds1 mildews1 rusts1 smuts1 blights1 yeasts1 mother1 and other microscopic species--and out of the #aej recommended edible species1 the present work includes only about thirty4 ,this selection has direct reference to popular utility1 only such species having been included as offer some striking or other individual peculiarity by which they may be simply identified1 even without so-called scientific knowledge4 ,the addition of color to the present list enables its extension somewhat beyond the scope of a series printed only in black and white1 as in the distinction of mere form alone an uncolored drawing of a certain species might serve to the popular eye as a common portrait of a number of allied species1 possibly including a poisonous variety4 ,sidenote3 ,mycology and mycophagy ,sidenote3 ,need of a practical work ,while the study of fungi has a host of devotees1 the mysteries which involve the origin of life in this great order of the cryptogamia having had fascinating attractions to microscopical students and specialists1 the study of economic mycology has been almost without a champion in the ,united ,states4 ,thus we have many learned treatises on the nature1 structure1 and habits of fungi--vegetative methods1 chemical constituents1 specific characters1 classification--learned dissertations on the microscopical moulds1 mildews1 rusts and smuts1 blights and ferments1 to say nothing of the medico-scientific and awe-inspiring potentialities of the sensational microbe1 bacterium1 bacillus1 etc41 which are daily bringing humanity within their spell and revolutionizing the science of medicine4 ,but among all the various mycological publications we look in vain for the great desideratum of the practical hand-book on the economic fungus--the mushroom as food6 ,the mycologist who has been courageous enough to submit his chemical analysis and his botanical knowledge of fungi to the test of esculence in his own being is a rara avis among them2 indeed1 a well-known authority states that one may number on the fingers of his two hands the entire list of mycophagists in the ,united ,states4 ,the absence of such works upon the mushroom and toadstool1 greatly desired for reference at an early period of my career1 and little better supplied to-day1 led to a resolve of which this volume is but an imperfect fulfilment4 ,sidenote3 ,limitations of this volume ,the special character of my volume1 then--the collateral consideration of the fungus as food--will be sufficient excuse for the omission of a merely technical discourse upon the structure1 classification1 and vegetation of fungi as a class--a field so fully covered by other authors more competent to discuss these lines of special science1 and to a selection of whose works the reader is referred in the list herewith appended1 to a number of which ,i am indebted for occasional quotations4 ,a general idea of the methods of dissemination and habitats of fungi will be found in the final chapter on spore-prints1 while under the discussion of the ,amanita1 ,agaricus campestris1 and the ,fairy ,ring the reader is referred to a condensed account of the methods of vegetation and growth of fungi sufficient for present purposes4 ,other references of similar character will be noted under ,fungi1 in ,index4 ,sidenote3 ,the pioneer ,american mycophagist ,the most conspicuous disciple of mycophagy--almost the pioneer1 indeed1 in ,america--was the late ,rev4 ,m4 ,a4 ,curtis1 of ,north ,carolina1 whose name heads the bibliography on page #cbe4 ,for the benefit of those of my readers who may wish to follow the subject further than my pages will lead them1 ,i append the list of edible species of fungi contained in ,curtis's ,catalogue1 each group alphabetically arranged1 the esculent qualities of many of which he himself discovered and attested by personal experiment4 ,the favorite habitat of each fungus is also given1 and to avoid any possibility of confusion in scientific nomenclature or synonymes1 the authority for the scientific name is also given in each instance3 ,,list ,,of ,,edible ,,american ,,mushrooms ,,from ,,the ,,catalogue ,,of ,,dr4 ,m4 ,a4 ,,curtis ,agaricus albellus4 ,de ,candolle4 ,damp woods4 ,a4 7amanita7 ,csarea4 ,scopoli4 ,in oak forests4 ,a4 7amanita7 rubescens4 ,persoon4 ,damp woods4 ,a4 7amanita7 strobiliformis4 ,vittadini4 ,common in woods4 ,a4 amygdalinus4 ,m4 ,a4 ,curtis4 ,rich grounds1 woods1 and lanes4 ,a4 arvensis4 ,schaeffer4 ,fields and pastures4 ,a4 bombicinus4 ,schaeffer4 ,earth and carious wood4 ,a4 campestris4 ,linnus4 ,fields and pastures4 ,a4 castus4 ,m4 ,a4 ,curtis4 ,grassy old fields4 ,a4 cespitosus4 ,m4 ,a4 ,curtis4 ,base of stumps4 ,a4 columbella4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,a4 consociatus4 ,pine woods4 ,agaricus cretaceus4 ,fries4 ,earth and wood4 ,a4 esculentus4 ,jacquin4 ,dense woods4 ,a4 excoriatus4 ,fries4 ,grassy lands4 ,a4 frumentaceous4 ,bulliard4 ,pine woods4 ,a4 giganteus4 ,sowerby4 ,borders of pine woods4 ,a4 glandulosus4 ,bulliard4 ,dead trunks4 ,a4 hypopithyus4 ,m4 ,a4 ,curtis4 ,pine logs4 ,a4 mastoideus4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,a4 melleus4 ,valmy4 ,about stumps and logs4 ,a4 mutabilis4 ,schaeffer4 ,trunks4 ,a4 nebularis4 ,batsch4 ,damp woods4 ,a4 odorus4 ,bulliard4 ,woods4 ,a4 ostreatus4 ,jacquin4 ,dead trunks4 ,a4 personatus4 ,m4 ,a4 ,curtis4 ,near rotten logs4 ,a4 pometi4 ,fries4 ,carious wood4 ,a4 procerus4 ,scopoli4 ,woods and fields4 ,a4 prunulus4 ,scopoli4 ,damp woods4 ,a4 rachodes4 ,vittadini4 ,base of stumps and trees4 ,a4 radicatus4 ,bulliard4 ,woods4 ,a4 7russula74 ,schaeffer4 ,among leaves in woods4 ,a4 salignus4 ,persoon4 ,on trunks and stumps4 ,a4 speciosus4 ,fries4 ,grassy land4 ,a4 squamosus4 ,muller4 ,oak stumps4 ,a4 sylvaticus4 ,schaeffer4 ,woods4 ,a4 tessellatus4 ,bulliard4 ,pine trunks4 ,a4 ulmarius4 ,sowerby4 ,dead trunks4 ,boletus bovinus4 ,linnus4 ,pine woods4 ,b4 castaneus4 ,bulliard4 ,woods4 ,b4 collinitus4 ,fries4 ,pine woods4 ,b4 edulis4 ,bulliard4 ,woods4 ,b4 elegans4 ,fries4 ,earth in woods4 ,b4 flavidus4 ,fries4 ,damp woods4 ,b4 granulatus4 ,linnus4 ,woods and fields4 ,b4 luteus4 ,linnus4 ,pine woods4 ,b4 scaber4 ,bulliard4 ,sandy woods4 ,b4 subtomentosus4 ,linnus4 ,earth in woods4 ,b4 versipellis4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,bovista nigrescens4 ,persoon4 ,grassy fields4 ,b4 plumbea4 ,persoon4 ,grassy fields4 ,cantharellus cibarius4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,clavaria aurea4 ,schaeffer4 ,earth in woods4 ,c4 botritis4 ,persoon4 ,earth in woods4 ,c4 cristata4 ,holmskiold4 ,damp woods4 ,c4 fastigiata4 ,linnus4 ,grassy places4 ,c4 flava4 ,fries4 ,earth in woods4 ,c4 formosa4 ,persoon4 ,earth in woods4 ,clavaria fuliginea4 ,persoon4 ,shady woods4 ,c4 macropus4 ,persoon4 ,earth4 ,c4 muscoides4 ,linnus4 ,grassy places4 ,c4 pyxidata4 ,persoon4 ,rotten woods4 ,c4 rugosa4 ,bulliard4 ,damp woods4 ,c4 subtilis4 ,persoon4 ,shaded banks4 ,c4 tetragona4 ,schwartz4 ,damp woods4 ,coprinus atramentarius4 ,bulliard4 ,manured ground4 ,c4 comatus4 ,fries4 ,in stable-yards4 ,cortinarius castaneus4 ,fries4 ,earth in woods4 ,c4 cinnamomeus4 ,fries4 ,earth and wood4 ,c4 violaceus4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,fistulina hepatica4 ,fries4 ,base of trunks and stumps4 ,helvella crispa4 ,fries4 ,pine in woods4 ,h4 infula4 ,schaeffer4 ,earth and pine logs4 ,h4 lacunosa4 ,afzelius4 ,near rotten logs4 ,h4 sulcata4 ,afzelius4 ,shady woods4 ,hydnum caput-medus4 ,bulliard4 ,trunks and logs4 ,h4 coralloides4 ,scopoli4 ,side of trunks4 ,h4 imbricatum4 ,linnus4 ,earth in woods4 ,h4 laevigatum4 ,schwartz4 ,pine woods4 ,h4 repandum4 ,linnus4 ,woods4 ,h4 rufescens4 ,schaeffer4 ,woods4 ,h4 subsquamosum4 ,batsch4 ,damp woods4 ,hygrophorus eburneus4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,h4 pratensis4 ,fries4 ,hill-sides4 ,lactarius augustissimus4 ,lasch4 ,thin woods4 ,l4 deliciosus4 ,fries4 ,pine woods4 ,l4 insulsus4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,l4 piperatus4 ,fries4 ,dry woods4 ,l4 subdulcis4 ,fries4 ,damp grounds4 ,l4 volemus4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,lycoperdon bovista4 ,linnus4 ,grassy lands4 ,pachyma cocos4 ,fries4 ,underground4 ,paxillus involutus4 ,fries4 ,sandy woods4 ,polyporus ,berkeleii4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,p4 confluens4 ,fries4 ,pine woods4 ,p4 cristatus4 ,fries4 ,pine woods4 ,p4 frondorus4 ,fries4 ,earth and base of stumps4 ,p4 giganteus4 ,fries4 ,base of stumps4 ,p4 leucomelas4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,p4 ovinus4 ,schaeffer4 ,earth in woods4 ,p4 poripes4 ,fries4 ,wooded ravines4 ,p4 sulphureus4 ,fries4 ,trunks and logs4 ,marasmius oreades4 ,fries4 ,hill-sides4 ,m4 scorodoneus4 ,fries4 ,decaying vegetation4 ,morchella ,caroliniana4 ,bosc4 ,earth in woods4 ,m4 esculenta4 ,persoon4 ,earth in woods4 ,russula alutacea4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,r4 lepida4 ,fries4 ,pine woods4 ,r4 virescens4 ,fries4 ,woods4 ,sparassis crispa4 ,fries4 ,earth4 ,s4 laminosa4 ,fries4 ,oak logs4 ,tremella mesenterica4 ,retz4 ,on bark4 ,in the contemplation of such a generous natural larder as the above list implies1 ,dr4 ,badham's feeling allusion to the hundred-weights of wholesome diet rotting under the trees1 quoted in one of my earlier illustrated pages1 will be readily appreciated4 ,sidenote3 ,restricted scope of this volume ,in the purposely restricted scope of these pages ,i have omitted a large majority of species in ,dr4 ,curtis's list1 known to be equally esculent with those which ,i have selected1 but whose popular differentiation might involve too close discrimination and possibly serious error2 and while my list is probably not as complete as it might be with perfect safety1 the number embraces species1 nearly all of them what may be called cosmopolitan types1 to be found more or less commonly throughout the whole ,united ,states and generally identical with ,european species4 ,it will be observed that the list of ,dr4 ,curtis is headed by three members of ,amanit4 ,the particular species cited are well known to be esculent1 but they are purposely omitted from my list1 which for considerations of safety absolutely excludes the entire genus ,amanita of the poison-cup which is discussed at some length in the succeeding chapter4 ,for popular utility from the food standpoint my selection presents1 to all intents and purposes1 a more than sufficient list1 the species being easily distinguished1 and1 with proper consideration to their freshness1 entirely safe and of sufficient frequency in their haunts to insure a continually available mushroom harvest throughout the entire fungus season4 ,sidenote3 ,fungus food always available ,the knowledge of their identities once acquired1 it is perfectly reasonable to assert that in average weather conditions the fungus-hunter may confine himself to these varieties and still be confronted with an embarrassment of riches1 availing himself of three meals a day1 with the mere trouble of a ramble through the woods or pastures4 ,indeed1 he may restrict himself to six of these species--the green ,russula1 ,puff-ball1 ,pasture-mushroom1 ,campestris 7meadow-mushroom71 ,shaggy-mane1 and ,boletus edulis--and yet become a veritable mycological gourmand if he chooses1 never at a loss for an appetizing entre at his table4 ,in the group of ,russul and ,boleti alone1 more than one conservative amateur of the writer's acquaintance finds a sufficient supply to meet all dietary wants4 ,sidenote3 ,a neglected harvest ,what a plenteous1 spontaneous harvest of delicious feasting annually goes begging in our woods and fields6 ,the sentiment of ,dr4 ,badham1 the eminent ,british authority on mushrooms1 years ago1 in reference to the spontaneous perennial harvest of wild edible fungi which abounded in his country1 going to waste by the ton1 would appear to be as true to-day for ,britain as when he uttered it1 and applies with even greater force to the similar1 ,i may say identical1 neglected tribute of ,nature in our own ,american woods and fields1 where the growth of fungi is especially rich4 ,sidenote3 ,fungus epicures ,the fungus-eaters of ,britain1 it is said1 are even to-day merely a conspicuous coterie1 while in ,america this particular sort of specialist is more generally an isolated crank who is compelled to flock alone1 contemplated with a certain awe by his less venturesome fellows1 and otherwise variously considered1 either with envy of his experience and scientific knowledge1 or more probably as an irresponsible1 who continually tempts ,providence in his foolhardy experiments with poison4 ,sidenote3 ,chemical constituents ,but what a contrast do we find on the ,continent in the appreciation of the fungus as an article of diet6 ,in ,france1 ,germany1 ,russia1 and ,italy1 for example1 where the woods are scoured for the perennial crop1 and where1 through centuries of popular familiarity and tradition1 the knowledge of its economic value has become the possession of the people1 a most important possession to the poor peasant who1 perhaps for weeks together1 will taste no other animal food4 ,i say animal food advisedly2 for1 gastronomically and chemically considered1 the flesh of the mushroom has been proven to be almost identical with meat1 and possesses the same nourishing properties4 ,this animal affinity is further suggested in its physiological life1 the fungus reversing the order of all other vegetation in imbibing oxygen and exhaling carbonic acid1 after the manner of animals4 ,it is not surprising1 therefore1 that the analogy should be still further emphasized by the discrimination of the palate1 many kinds of fungi when cooked simulating the taste and consistency of animal food almost to the point of deception4 ,sidenote3 ,popular distrust of fungi ,but in ,america the fungus is under the ban1 its great majority of harmless or even wholesome edible species having been brought into popular disrepute through the contamination1 mostly1 of a single small genus4 ,in the absence of special scientific knowledge1 or1 from our present point of view1 its equivalent1 popular familiarity1 this general distrust of the whole fungus tribe may be1 however1 considered a beneficent prejudice4 ,so deadly is the insidious1 mysterious foe that lurks among the friendly species that it is well for humanity in general that the entire list of fungi should share its odium1 else those toadstool fatalities1 already alarmingly frequent1 might become a serious feature in our tables of mortality4 ,sidenote3 ,fungus food for all ,but the prejudice is needlessly sweeping4 ,a little so-called knowledge of fungi has often proven to be a dangerous thing1 it is true1 but it is quite possible for any one of ordinary intelligence1 rightly instructed1 to master the discrimination of at least a few of the more common edible species1 while being thoroughly equipped against the dangers of deadly varieties1 whose identification is comparatively simple4 ,sidenote3 ,toadstool and mushroom ,it is idle to attempt an adjudication of the vexed toadstool and mushroom question here4 ,the toad is plainly the only final1 appealable authority on this subject4 ,it may be questioned whether he is at pains to determine the delectable or noisome qualities--from the human standpoint--of a particular fungus before deciding to settle his comfortable proportions upon its summit--if1 indeed1 he even so honors even the humblest of them4 ,the oft-repeated question1 therefore1 ,is this fungus a toadstool or a mushroom8 may fittingly be met by the counter query1 ,is this rose a flower or a blossom8 ,the so-called distinction is a purely arbitrary1 popular prejudice which differentiates the toadstool as poisonous1 the mushroom being considered harmless4 ,but even the rustic authorities are rather mixed on the subject1 as may be well illustrated by a recent incident in my own experience4 ,sidenote3 ,popular discrimination ,walking in the woods with a country friend in quest of fungi1 we were discussing this toadstool topic when we came upon a cluster of mushrooms at the base of a tree-trunk1 their broad1 expanded caps apparently upholstered in fawn-colored1 undressed kid1 their under surfaces being stuffed and tufted in pale greenish hue4 ,what would you call those8 ,i inquired4 ,those are toadstools1 unmistakably1 he replied4 ,well1 toadstools or not1 you see there about two pounds of delicious vegetable meat1 for it is the common species of edible boletus--,boletus edulis4 ,a few moments later we paused before a beautiful specimen1 lifting its parasol of pure white above the black leaf mould4 ,and what is this8 ,i inquired4 ,i would certainly call that a mushroom1 was his instant reply4 ,this mushroom proved to be a fine1 tempting specimen of the ,agaricus 7amanita7 vernus1 the deadliest of the mushrooms1 and one of the most violent and fatal of all known vegetable poisons1 whose attractive graces and insidious wiles are doubtless continually responsible for those numerous fatalities usually dismissed with the epitaph1 ,died from eating toadstools in mistake for mushrooms4 ,so much1 therefore1 for the popular distinction which makes toadstool a synonyme for poisonous1 and mushroom synonymous with edible1 and which often proves to be the little knowledge which is very dangerous4 ,sidenote3 ,the rustic authorities on mushrooms ,the too prevalent mortality traceable to the mushroom is confined to two classes of unfortunates3 #a4 ,those who have not learned that there is such a thing as a fatal mushroom2 #b4 ,the provincial authority who ,can tell a mushroom by a number of his so-called infallible tests or proofs4 ,there is a large third class to whose conservative caution is to be referred the prevalent arbitrary distinction between toadstool and mushroom1 ardent disciples of old ,tertullian1 who believed in regard to toadstools that ,for every different hue they display there is a pain to correspond to it1 and just so many modes of death as there are distinct species1 and whose obstinate dogma1 ,there is only one mushroom1 all the rest are toadstools1 has doubtless spared them an occasional untimely grave1 for few of this class1 from their very conservatism1 ever fall victims to the toadstool4 ,and what a self-complacent1 patronizing1 solicitous character this rustic mushroom oracle is6 ,go where you will in the rural districts and you are sure of him1 or perhaps her--usually a conspicuous figure in the neighborhood1 the village blacksmith1 perhaps1 or the simpler ,old ,aunt ,huldy4 ,their father and granther before them knew how to tell a mushroom1 and this enviable knowledge has been their particular inheritance4 ,how well we more special students of the fungus know him6 and how he wins our tender regard with his keen solicitude for our well-being6 ,we meet him everywhere in our travels1 and always with the same old story6 ,we emerge from the wood1 perhaps1 with our basket brimful of our particular fungus tidbits1 topped off with specimens of red ,russula and ,boletus1 and chance to pass him on the road or in the meadow4 ,he scans the basket curiously as he passes us4 ,he has perhaps heard rumors afloat that there's a city chap in town who is tempting ,providence with his foolin' with tudstools2 and with genuine solicitude and superior condescension and awe1 all betrayed in his countenance1 he must needs pause in his walk to relieve his mind in our behalf4 ,i recall one characteristic episode1 of which the above is the prelude4 ,ye ain't a-goin' to eat them1 air ye8 he asks1 anxiously1 by way of introduction4 ,sidenote3 ,rustic discrimination ,i am1 most certainly1 ,i respond2 that is1 if ,i can get my good farmer's wife to cook them without coming them and inundating them in lemon-juice4 ,waal1 then1 ,i'll say good-bye to ye1 he responds1 with emphasis4 ,why1 don't ye know them's tudstools1 'n' they'll kill ye as sartin as pizen8 ,i wonder they ain't fetched ye afore this4 ,you never larned tew tell mushrooms4 ,my father et 'em all his life1 and so hev ,i1 'n' ,i know 'em4 ,come up into my garden yender 'n' ,i'll show ye haow to tell the reel mushroom4 ,there's a lot of 'em thar in the hot-bed naow4 ,come along4 ,i'll give ye a mess on 'em if ye'll only throw them pizen things away4 ,and how do you know that those in your garden are real mushrooms8 ,i inquire4 ,why1 they ain't anything like them o' yourn4 ,they're pink and black underneath1 and peel up from the edge4 ,how many kinds of mushrooms are there1 do you suppose8 ,i ask4 ,they's only the one kind2 all the others is tudstools and pizen4 ,it's easy to tell the reel mushroom4 ,come up and ,i'll show ye4 ,don't eat them things1 ,i beg on ye6 ,i vaow they'll kill ye6 ,at this point he catches a glimpse of a ,shaggy-mane mushroom1 which comes to light as ,i tenderly fondle the specimens1 and which is evidently recognized as an acquaintance4 ,what6 he exclaims1 in pale alarm4 ,ye ain't goin' t' eat them too8 ,oh yes ,i am1 this very evening1 ,i respond4 ,i think ,i'll try them first4 ,sidenote3 ,a rustic authority ,why1 man1 yure crazy6 ,you don't know nothin' about 'em4 ,i'd as soon think o' eatin' pizen outright4 ,them's what we call black-slime tudstools4 ,they come up out o' manure4 ,i've seen my muck-heap in my barnyard covered with the nasty things time 'n' ag'in4 ,they look nice 'n' white naow1 but they rot into the onsiteliest black mess ye ever see4 ,i know wut ,i'm sayin'4 ,ye can't tell me nothin' 'baout them tudstools6 ,they keep comin' up along my barn-fence all thro' the fall--bushels of 'em4 ,well1 my good friend1 it's a great pity1 then1 that you have not learned something about toadstools as well as mushrooms1 for you might have saved many a butcher's bill1 and may in the future if you will only take my word that this much-abused specimen is as truly a mushroom as your pink-gilled peeler1 and to my mind far more delicious4 ,what6 ,do you mean to tell me thet you have reely eaten 'em8 ,yes1 indeed2 often4 ,why1 just look at its clean1 shaggy cap1 its creamy white or pink gills underneath2 take a sniff of its pleasant aroma2 and here6 just taste a little piece--it's as sweet as a nut6 ,i conclude1 offering him the white morsel4 ,not much6 ,i'll make my will first1 thank'ee6 ,you let me see ye eat a mess of 'em1 and if the coroner don't get ye1 p'r'aps ,i'll try on't4 ,sidenote3 ,toadstool prejudice ,experiences similar to this one are frequent in the career of every mycophagist1 and serve to illustrate the pity and solicitude which he awakens among his fellow-mortals1 as well as to emphasize the prevalent superstitions regarding the comparative virtues of the mushroom and toadstool--a prejudice which1 by-the-way1 in the absence of available popular literature on the subject1 and the actual dangers which encompass their popular distinction1 is a most beneficent public safeguard4 ,sidenote3 ,popular tests and superstitions ,the mushroom which he can tell is generally the ,agaricus campestris1 or one of its several varieties2 and knowing this alone1 and tempted by no other1 this sort of village oracle escapes the fate which often awaits another class1 who are not thus conservative1 and who extend their definition of mushroom 7a word supposed to be synonymous with edible71 and this mainly through the indorsement of certain so-called infallible tests handed down to them from their forefathers1 and by which the esculent varieties may be distinguished from the poisonous4 ,by these so-called tests or proofs the identification of certain species is gradually acquired4 ,the rural fungus epicure now knows them by sight1 or perhaps has received his information second-hand1 and makes his selection without hesitation1 with what success may be judged from the incident in my own experience already noted--one which1 knowing as ,i did the frequency and confidence with which my country friend sampled the fungi at his table1 filled me with consternation and anxiety for his future4 ,how1 then1 shall we distinguish a mushroom from a toadstool8 ,there is no way of distinguishing them1 for they are the same4 ,how1 then1 shall we know a poisonous toadstool from a harmless one8 the reader hopelessly exclaims4 ,this discrimination is by no means as difficult as is popularly supposed1 but in the first place1 the student must entirely rid himself of all preconceived notions and traditions1 such as the following almost world-wide tests1 many of which are easily demonstrated to be worse than worthless1 and have doubtless frequently led to an untimely funeral4 ,some of these are merely local1 and in widely separated districts are supplanted by others equally arbitrary and absurd1 while many of them are as old as history4 ,,worthless ,,traditional ,,tests ,,for ,,the ,,discrimination ,,of ,,poisonous ,,and ,,edible ,,mushrooms ,,favorable ,,signs #a4 ,pleasant taste and odor4 #b4 ,peeling of the skin of the cap from rim to centre4 #c4 ,pink gills1 turning brown in older specimens4 #d4 ,the stem easily pulled out of the cap and inserted in it like a parasol handle4 #e4 ,solid stems4 #f4 ,must be gathered in the morning4 #g4 ,any fungus having a pleasant taste and odor1 being found similarly agreeable after being plainly broiled without the least seasoning1 is perfectly safe4 ,,unfavorable ,,signs #h4 ,boiling with a silver spoon1 the staining of the silver indicating danger4 #i4 ,change of color in the fracture of the fresh mushroom4 #aj4 ,slimy or sticky on the top4 #aa4 ,having the stems at their sides4 #ab4 ,growing in clusters4 #ac4 ,found in dark1 damp places4 #ad4 ,growing on wood1 decayed logs1 or stumps4 #ae4 ,growing on or near manure4 #af4 ,having bright colors4 #ag4 ,containing milky juice4 #ah4 ,having the gill plates of even length4 #ai4 ,melting into black fluid4 #bj4 ,biting the tongue or having a bitter or nauseating taste4 #ba4 ,changing color by immersion in salt-water1 or upon being dusted with salt4 ,these present but a selection of the more prevalent notions4 ,taken in toto1 they would prove entirely safe1 as they would practically exclude every species of mushroom or toadstool that grows4 ,but as a rule the village oracle bases his infallibility upon two or three of the above rules1 and inasmuch as the entire list absolutely omits the only one test by which danger is to be avoided1 it is a seven-days' wonder that the grewsome toadstool epitaph is not more frequent4 ,sidenote3 ,absolute worthlessness of above tests ,i once knew an aged dame who was accepted as a village oracle on this as well as other topics1 such as divining1 palmistry1 and fortune-telling1 and who ate and dispensed toadstools on a few of the above rules4 ,strange to say1 she lived to a good old age1 and no increased mortality is credited to her memory as a result of her generosity4 ,how are these popular notions sustained by the facts8 ,let us analyze them seriatim and confront each with its refutation1 the better to show their entire untrustworthiness4 ,,popular ,,tests ,,refuted ,sidenote3 ,worthless popular tests ,pleasant taste and odor 7#a7 is a conspicuous feature in the regular mushroom 7,agaricus campestris71 and most other edible fungi1 but as a criterion for safety it is a mockery4 ,the deadly ,agaricus amanita1 already mentioned1 has an inviting odor and to most people a pleasant taste when raw1 and being cooked and eaten gives no token of its fatal resources until from six to twelve hours after1 when its unfortunate victim is past hope4 7,see p4 #fh47 ,the ready peeling of the skin 7#b7 is one of the most widely prevalent proofs of probation1 and is often considered a sufficient test2 yet the ,amanita will be found to peel with a degree of accommodation which would thus at once settle its claims as a mushroom4 ,indeed1 a large number of species1 including several poisonous kinds1 will peel as perfectly as the ,campestris4 ,the pink gills turning brown7#c7 is a marked characteristic of the mushroom 7,a4 campestris1 ,plate #e71 and1 being a rare tint among the fungus tribe1 is really one of the most valuable of the tests1 especially as it is limited by rules affecting other pink-gilled species4 ,the stem being easily pulled out of the cap 7#d7 applies to several edible species1 but equally to the poisonous4 ,sidenote3 ,worthless popular tests ,the notion that edible mushrooms have solid stems 7#e7 would be a very unsafe talisman for us to take to the woods in our search for fungus-food4 ,many poisonous species are thus solid--the emetic ,russula1 for example--while the alleged importance of the morning specimens 7#f7 is without the slightest foundation4 ,the passage quoted here 7#g71 or a statement to the same effect1 was quite widely circulated in the newspapers a dozen or more years ago1 in an article which bore all the indications of authoritative utterance1 the assumption being that the poisonous mushroom would invariably give some forbidding token to the senses by which it might be discriminated4 ,woe to the fungus epicure who should sample his mushrooms and toadstools on such a criterion as this1 as the most fatal of all mushrooms1 the ,amanita vernus1 would fulfil all these requisites4 ,the discoloration of silver 7#h7 is a test as old as ,pliny at least1 a world-wide popular touchstone for the detection of deleterious fungi1 but useful only in the fact that it will often exclude a poison not contemplated in the discrimination4 ,on this point1 especially as it affords opportunity to emphasize a common disappointment of the mushroom-eater1 ,i quote from a recent work by ,julius ,a4 ,palmer 7see ,bibliography1 ,no4 #c73 ,mushrooms decay very rapidly4 ,in a short time a fair1 solid fungus becomes a mass of maggots which eat its tissue until its substance is honey-combed2 these cells1 on a warm day1 are charged with the vapors of decomposition4 ,now you put such mushrooms as these 7and ,i have seen just such on the markets of ,boston and ,london7 over the fire4 ,in boiling1 sulphuretted hydrogen or other noxious gases are liberated2 you stir with a bright spoon and it is discolored2 proud of your test1 you throw away your stew4 ,now this is right1 but if from this you conclude that all fungus which discolors silver is poisonous and that which leaves it bright is esculent1 you are in dangerous error4 ,it is the same with fish at sea4 ,tradition says that you must fry a piece of silver with them and throw them away if it discolors4 ,certainly the experiment does no harm1 and shows a decomposition in both cases which might have been detected without the charm4 ,opposed to this so-called talisman1 how grim is the fact that the deadliest of all mushrooms1 the ,amanita1 in its fresh condition1 has no effect upon silver4 ,sidenote3 ,worthless popular tests ,the change of color in fracture 7#i7 has long been a ban to the fungus as food4 ,but this would exclude several very delicious species1 which turn bluish1 greenish1 and red when broken--viz41 ,boletus subtomentosus 7,plate #bb71 ,boletus strobilaceus 7,plate #bc71 and ,lactarius 7,plate #ah74 ,the toadstools with sticky tops thus discriminated against 7#aj7 include a number of esculent species1 ,boleti and ,russul1 and others1 as do also the varieties with side-stems 7#aa7--viz41 ,agaricus ulmarius 7,plate #ae71 ,fistulina hepatica 7,plate #be71 ,agaricus ostreatus 7,plate #ad71 etc4 ,sidenote3 ,worthless popular tests ,the clustered fungi 7#ab7 have long been included in the black-list without reason1 as witness the following esteemed esculent species3 ,the ,shaggy-mane 7,plate #af71 ,coprinus atramentarius 7,plate #ag71 ,oyster mushroom 7,plate #ad71 ,elm mushroom 7,plate #ae71 ,puff-balls 7,plate #cd71 and ,champignon 7,plate #h74 ,to exclude all fungi which grow in dark1 damp places 7#ac7 is a singular inconsistency1 as in some localities this would eliminate the very one species of mushroom admittedly eatable by popular favor4 ,in many countries these are regularly cultivated for market in dark1 damp1 subterranean caverns or in cellars4 ,indeed1 the dark1 damp place would appear to be the ideal habitat of this the only mushroom6 ,equally absurd is the discrimination against those growing on wood 7#ad71 which again deprives us of the delicious ,hydnum 7,plate #bg71 the ,beefsteak 7,plate #be71 ,oyster mushroom 7,plate #ad71 ,elm mushroom 7,plate #ae71 and many others1 including ,puff-balls 7,plate #cd74 ,if we exclude those growing upon or near manure 7#ae71 we shall be obliged to omit the ,coprinus group 7,plates #af and #ag71 and often the reel mushroom as well4 ,among the bright-colored species 7#af71 it is true1 are many dangerous individuals1 as1 for instance1 the deadly ,fly ,amanita of ,plate #d1 and the emetic ,russula 7,plate #ac71 but on this fiat we should have to reject the other brilliant esculent ,russul 7,plates #aa and #ab71 the brilliant yellow ,chantarelle 7,plate #ai71 the ,lactarius 7,plate #ah71 and various other equally palatable and wholesome species4 ,sidenote3 ,worthless popular tests ,the objection against milky mushrooms 7#ag7 would serve to exclude the poisonous species of ,lactarius1 but would thus include at least two of the delicious species of the group1 ,l4 deliciosus1 with orange milk 7,plate #ah71 and ,l4 piperatus1 another species with white milk not figured in this volume4 ,the group of ,russul1 most of which are esculent1 is notable for their gills of even length 7#ah71 though not all the species are thus characterized4 ,this discrimination1 however1 especially applies to the ,shaggy-mane 7,plate #af71 which is conspicuously even-gilled1 and is a decided delicacy4 ,this species1 together with its congener1 the edible ,coprinus atramentarius 7,plate #ag71 are notorious for their melting into black fluid 7#ai71 which is thus of no significance as a test1 although the mushrooms are not supposed to be eaten in this stage of deliquescence4 ,a fungus which bites the tongue 7#bj7 when tasted would naturally be excluded from our mushroom diet1 as would also1 of course1 those of a bitter or nauseating taste2 but several species1 notably the ,lactarius piperatus1 as its name implies1 is very hot and peppery when raw--a characteristic which disappears in cooking1 after which it is perfectly esculent4 ,the same applies in a scarcely less degree to the ,agaricus melleus1 and less so to the ,hydnum repandum 7,plate #bg71 and other mushrooms4 ,but the poisonous ,russula emetica 7,plate #ac7 gives this same hot1 warning tang1 and this rule 7#ag7 would at least thus exclude the harmful species1 and is thus contributive to popular safety4 ,sidenote3 ,worthless popular tests ,the salt test 7#ba71 with that of the silver charm1 is also a relic of the dim past1 but is absolutely useless as a touchstone4 ,many poisonous species1 notably the ,amanita1 fail to answer to it4 ,all authorities agree1 however1 that the addition of salt in cooking1 or the preparatory soaking of specimens in brine1 has a tendency to render poisonous species innocuous4 ,indeed1 it is claimed that in ,russia and elsewhere on the ,continent many admittedly poisonous species1 even the deadly ,fly ,amanita1 is habitually eaten subsequent to this semi-corning process1 by which the poisonous chemical principle is neutralized4 ,sidenote3 ,omission of the only true test ,among this long list1 and many other equally arbitrary and ignorant prejudicial traditions1 many of which date back to the earliest times1 it is indeed astonishing to note the conspicuous absence of the one and only valuable sign by which the fatal species could be unmistakably determined--a symbol which was reserved for botanical science to discover3 the presence of the cup in the ,amanita1 which is pointedly emphasized in my ,frontispiece1 and the importance of which as a botanical and cautionary distinction is considered at more length in the following chapter4 ,it is well to consider for a moment what is implied in ,a ,,poisonous ,,mushroom ,a fungus may be poisonous in various ways3 #a4 ,a distinct and certain deadly poison4 #b4 ,the cause of violent digestive or other functional disturbance1 but not necessarily fatal4 #c4 ,the occasion of more or less serious physical derangement through mere indigestibility4 #d4 ,productive of similar disorders through the employment of decayed or wormy specimens of perfectly esculent species4 #e4 ,these same esculent species1 even in their fresh condition1 may become highly noxious by contact or confinement with specimens of the ,amanita by the absorption of its volatile poison1 as further described on p4 #fi4 ,sidenote3 ,concerning idiosyncrasy ,and lastly comes the question of idiosyncrasy1 a consideration which is of course not taken into account in our recommendation of certain well-established food varieties4 ,sidenote3 ,decaying mushrooms ,sidenote3 ,fresh specimens ,one man's food another man's poison4 ,the scent of the rose is sometimes a serious affliction1 and even the delicious strawberry has repeatedly proven a poison4 ,even the most wholesome mushroom will occasionally require to be discriminated against1 as certain individuals find it necessary to exclude cabbage1 milk1 onions1 and other common food from their diet4 ,when we reflect1 moreover1 that in its essential chemical affinities the fungus simulates animal flesh1 and many of the larger and more solid varieties are similarly subject to speedy decomposition1 it is obviously important that all fungi procured for the table should be collected in their prime1 and prepared and served as quickly as possible4 ,more than one case of supposed mushroom poisoning could be directly traced to carelessness in this regard1 when the species themselves1 in their proper condition1 had been perfectly wholesome4 ,sidenote3 ,no general rule for identification ,there can be no general rule laid down for the discrimination of an edible fungus4 ,each must be learned as a species1 or at least familiarized as a kind1 even as we learn to recognize certain flowers1 trees1 or birds4 ,within a certain range this discrimination is practised by the merest child4 ,how are the robin1 the chippy1 and the swallow recognized1 or the red clover1 and white clover1 and yellow clover8 ,sidenote3 ,simple botanical discrimination ,even in the instances of species which bear a very close outward similarity1 how simple1 after all1 does the distinction become4 ,here1 for instance1 is the wild-lettuce1 and its mimic1 the mulgedium1 growing side by side--to ninety-nine out of a hundred observers absolutely alike1 and apparently the same species4 ,but how readily are they distinguished1 ,i will not say by the botanist merely1 but by any one who will take the small pains of contrasting their specific botanical characters--perfectly infallible1 no matter how various the masquerade of their foliage4 ,the lettuce has yellow blossoms1 and a seed prolonged into a long beak1 to whose tip the feathery pappus is attached4 ,the mulgedium has dull bluish flowers1 and its pappus is attached to the seed by a hardly perceptible elongation4 ,as with the birds and wild-flowers1 so with the fungi3 we must learn them as species1 even as we learn to distinguish the difference between the trefoil of the clover and that of the wood-sorrel1 or between the innocuous wild-carrot and the poison-hemlock1 the harmless stag-horn sumach and its venomous congener1 the ,rhus venenata4 ,there are parallel outward resemblances between esculent and poisonous fungi1 but each possesses otherwise its own special features by which it may be identified--variations of gills1 pores1 spores1 taste1 odor1 color1 juice1 consistency of pulp1 method of decay1 etc4 ,it must not be presumed that the list of edible species just cited from the catalogue of ,dr4 ,curtis includes all the esculents among the fungi4 ,dr4 ,harkness has discovered and classified many others4 ,mr4 ,palmer and ,prof4 ,charles ,peck are never at a loss for their mess of mushrooms among their list of nearly a hundred species1 while ,mr4 ,charles ,mc,ilvaine1 whose name1 so far as its practical authority is concerned1 should appear more prominently in my bibliographical list1 but who has not yet incorporated his many mycological essays in book form1 writes me that he has tested gastronomically a host of species1 and has found over three hundred to be edible1 or at least harmless4 ,it may be said that the probabilities would include a large majority of the thousand species in the same category4 ,but this is a matter which1 in the absence of absolute knowledge1 is mere conjecture4 ,of the forty-odd species which the writer enjoys with more or less frequency at his table1 he is satisfied that he can select at least thirty which possess such distinct and strongly marked characters of form1 structure1 and other special qualities as to enable them1 by the aid of careful portraiture and brief description1 to be easily recognized1 even by a tyro4 ,as previously emphasized1 the present work does not aim to be complete1 nor does it contemplate a practical utility beyond its specific recommendations1 nor will the author assume any responsibility for the hazard which shall exceed its restricted list of species4 ,sidenote3 ,humanity and forbidden fruit ,on general principles1 however1 considering the proneness of humanity towards the acquisition of forbidden fruit1 and reasoning from my own actual experience1 and that of many others to whom this fascinating hobby of epicurean fungology has become a growing passion1 it may almost be assumed that the fungus appetite with many of my readers will increase by what it feeds on1 and the sufficiency herewith offered will scarcely suffice4 ,like ,oliver ,twist1 they must needs have more4 ,the glory of a new acquisition to the fungus menu1 and emulation of other rival tyro mycophagists1 will doubtless lead many enthusiasts to more or less hazardous experiment among the legion of the unknown species4 ,this logical tendency1 then1 must be met ere my book can safely and conscientiously be launched upon its career1 to which purpose ,i would append the following condensed ,,rules ,,for ,,the ,,venturesome #a4 ,avoid every mushroom having a cup1 or suggestion of such1 at base 7see ,frontispiece1 and ,plates #c and #d72 the distinctly fatal poisons are thus excluded4 #b4 ,exclude those having an unpleasant odor1 a peppery1 bitter1 or other unpalatable flavor1 or tough consistency4 #c4 ,exclude those infested with worms1 or in advanced age or decay4 #d4 ,in testing others which will pass the above probation let the specimen be kept by itself1 not in contact with or enclosed in the same basket with other species1 for reasons given on page #fi4 ,sidenote3 ,testing new species ,begin by a mere nibble1 the size of a pea1 and gentle mastication1 being careful to swallow no saliva1 and finally expelling all from the mouth4 ,if no noticeable results follow1 the next trial1 with the interval of a day1 with the same quantity may permit of a swallow of a little of the juice1 the fragments of the fungus expelled as before4 ,no unpleasantness following for twenty-four hours1 the third trial may permit of a similar entire fragment being swallowed1 all of these experiments to be made on an empty stomach4 ,if this introduction of the actual substance of the fungus into the stomach is superseded by no disturbance in twenty-four hours1 a larger piece1 the size of a hazel-nut1 may be attempted1 and thus the amount gradually increased day by day until the demonstration of edibility1 or at least harmlessness1 is complete1 and the species thus admitted into the safe list4 ,by following this method with the utmost caution the experimenter can at best suffer but a slight temporary indisposition as the result of his hardihood1 in the event of a noisome species having been encountered1 and will at least thus have the satisfaction of discovery of an enemy if not a friend4 ,sidenote3 ,mr4 ,mc,ilvaine's general rule ,it may be said that any mushroom1 omitting the ,amanita1 which is pleasant to the taste and otherwise agreeable as to odor and texture when raw1 is probably harmless1 and may safely be thus ventured on with a view of establishing its edibility4 ,a prominent authority on our edible mushrooms1 already mentioned1 applies this rule to all the ,agarics with confidence4 ,this rule may be established1 he says3 ,all ,agarics--excepting the ,amanit--mild to the taste when raw1 if they commend themselves in other ways1 are edible4 ,this claim is borne out in his experience1 with the result1 already told1 that he now numbers over one hundred species among his habitual edible list out of the three hundred which he has actually found by personal test to be edible or harmless4 ,so numerous are toadstools1 he continues1 and so well does a study of them define their habits and habitats1 that the writer never fails upon any day from ,april to ,december to find ample supply of healthy1 nutritious1 delicate toadstools for himself and family4 ,the italicized portion is my own1 as ,i would thus emphasize the similar possibilities amply afforded even in the present condensed list of about thirty varieties herein described4 ,sidenote3 ,hints to mushroom-gatherers ,in gathering mushrooms one should be supplied with a sharp knife4 ,the mushroom should be carefully cut off an inch or so below the cap1 or at least sufficiently far above the ground to escape all signs of dirt on the stem4 ,they should then be laid gills upward in their receptacle1 and it is well to have a special basket1 arranged with one or two removable bottoms or horizontal partitions1 which are kept in place by upright props within1 thus relieving the lower layers of mushrooms from the weight of those above them4 ,such a basket is almost indispensable4 ,sidenote3 ,insects infesting mushrooms ,before preparing mushrooms for the table1 the specimens should be carefully scrutinized for a class of fungus specialists which we have not taken into account1 and which have probably anticipated us4 ,the mushroom is proverbial for its rapid development1 but nature has not allowed it thus to escape the usual penalties of lush vegetation1 as witness this swarming1 squirming host1 minute grubs1 which occasionally honey-comb or hollow its entire substance ere it has reached its prime2 indeed1 in many cases1 even before it has fully expanded or even protruded above ground4 ,sidenote3 ,history of fungus insects ,like the carrion-flies1 the bees1 and wasps1 which in early times were believed to be of spontaneous origin--flies being generated from putrefaction1 bees from dead bulls1 and the martial wasps from defunct war-horses--these fungus swarms which so speedily reduce a fair specimen of a mushroom to a melting loathsome mass1 were also supposed to be the natural progeny of the poisonous toadstool4 ,but science has solved the riddle of their mysterious omnipresence among the fungi1 each particular swarm of grubs being the witness of a former visit of a maternal parent insect1 which has sought the budding fungus in its haunts often before it has fully revealed itself to human gaze1 and implanted within its substance her hundred or more eggs4 ,to the uneducated eye these larv all appear similar1 but the specialist in entomology readily distinguishes between them as the young of this or that species of fly1 gnat1 or beetle4 ,as an illustration of the assiduity with which the history of these tiny scavenger insects has been followed by science1 ,i may mention that in the gnat group alone over seven hundred species have been discovered and scientifically described1 many of them requiring a powerful magnifier to reveal their identities4 ,specimens of infected or decaying mushrooms preserved within a tightly closed box--and1 we would suggest1 duly quarantined--will at length reveal the imago forms of the voracious larv3 generally a swarm of tiny gnats or flies1 with an occasional sprinkling of small glossy black beetles1 or perhaps a beautiful indigo-blue insect half an inch in length1 of most nervous habit1 and possessed of a long and very active tail4 ,this insect is an example of the curious group of rove-beetles--staphylinus--a family of insect scavengers1 many of whose species depend upon the fungi for subsistence4 ,even the large woody growth known as punk or touch-wood1 so frequently seen upon decaying trunks1 is not spared4 ,a huge specimen in my keeping was literally reduced to dust by a single species of beetle4 ,sidenote3 ,a wise precaution ,considering the prevalence of these fungus hosts1 it is well in all mushrooms to take the precaution of making a vertical section through stem and cap1 excluding such specimens as are conspicuously monopolized1 and not being too critical of the rest1 for the over-fastidious gourmet will often thus have little to show for his morning walk4 ,i have gathered a hundred specimens of fungi in one stroll1 perhaps not a quarter of which1 upon careful scrutiny1 though fair of exterior1 would be fit for the table4 ,the fungus-hunter par excellence has usually been there before us and left his mark 7see page #ace7--;a mere fine brown streak or tunnel1 perhaps1 winding through the pulp or stem1 where his minute fungoid identity is even yet secreted4 ,but we bigger fungus-eaters gradually learn to accept him--if not too outrageously promiscuous--as a natural part and parcel of our ,hachis aux ,champignons1 or our simple mushrooms on toast1 even as we wink at the similar lively accessories which sophisticate our delectable raisins1 prunes1 and figs1 to say nothing of prime old ,rochefort6 ,,mushroom ,,poisoning ,in conclusion1 lest these pages1 in spite of the impress of caution with which they are weighted1 should lead to discomfiture1 distress1 or more serious results among their more careless readers1 it is well to devote a few lines to directions for medical treatment where such should seem to be required4 ,to this end ,i quote a passage from an article in the ,therapeutic ,gazette of ,may1 #ahic1 from the pen of ,mr4 ,mc,ilvaine1 whose many years' experience with gastronomic fungi entitles his words to careful consideration3 ,sidenote3 ,diagnosis and treatment ,the physician called upon to treat a case of toadstool poisoning need not wait to query after the variety eaten2 he need not wish to see a sample4 ,his first endeavor should be to ascertain the exact time elapsing between the eating of the toadstools and the first feeling of discomfort4 ,if this is within four or five hours one of the minor poisons is at work1 and rapid relief must be given by the administration of an emetic1 followed by one or two moderate doses of sweet-oil and whiskey1 in equal parts4 ,vinegar is effective as a substitute for sweet-oil4 ,if from eight to twelve hours have elapsed1 the physician may rest assured that amanitine is present1 and should administer one-sixtieth of a grain of atropine at once4 ,this atropine is intended to be injected hypodermically1 and the treatment repeated every half-hour until one-twentieth of a grain has been given1 or the patient's life saved4 ,further consideration of the ,amanita and its deadly poison and antidote1 with details as to treatment in a notable case1 will be reserved for the following chapter4 ,the colored plates in the volume were prepared from pencil drawings tinted in water-color1 many of them direct from nature1 several dating back fifteen years1 and many of them over twenty years1 for their original sketch4 ,the colors as presented indicate those of typical individuals of the various species1 and each1 in addition to the extended description in the text of the volume1 is faced by a condensed description for ready reference1 the usual troublesome necessity of turning the pages being thus avoided4 ,in each plate dimension marks are shown which indicate the expansion of the pileus or cap of the fungus in an ideal specimen4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,acknowledgments ,in the preparation of this work1 acknowledgments are specially due to ,messrs4 ,julius ,a4 ,palmer and ,charles ,mc,ilvaine for the privilege of liberal quotations from their published works1 especially with reference to the poisonous fungi4 ,the volume is also further indebted for occasional extracts from the standard works of ,prof4 ,chas4 ,peck1 ,mrs4 ,t4 ,j4 ,hussey1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,c4 ,d4 ,badham1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,m4 ,c4 ,cooke1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,m4 ,berkeley1 ,worthington ,smith1 and ,rev4 ,m4 ,a4 ,curtis1 all of whose volumes and various other contributions on the special subject of mycophagy are included in my bibliography on a later page4 ,w4 ,,hamilton ,,gibson ,october #a1 #ahid ,,washington1 ,,conn4 ,illustration3 ,the ,deadly ,amanita ,the ,deadly ,amanita ,the frequency of this terrible foe in all our woods1 and the ever-recurring fatalities which are continually traced to its seductive treachery 7some twenty-five deaths having been recorded in the public journals during the summer of #ahic alone71 render it important that its teeth should be drawn1 and its portrait placarded and popularly familiarized as an archenemy of mankind4 ,sidenote3 ,a whited sepulchre ,as we have seen1 from every superficial standpoint1 this species is self-commendatory4 ,it is1 without doubt1 in comeliness1 symmetry1 and structure1 the ideal of all our mushrooms1 as it is1 indeed1 the botanical type of the tribe ,agaricus1 as well as its most notorious genus4 ,since the time of that carousing young lunatic ,nero1 who1 doubtless1 was wont to make merry with its convenient poison1 upon one occasion1 it is recorded by ,pliny1 to the presumably amusing extinction of the entire guests of a banquet1 together with the prefect of the guard and a small host of tribunes and centurions1 the ,amanita has claimed an army of victims4 ,sidenote3 ,easily identified botanically ,while giving no superficial token of its dangerous character to the casual observer1 the ,amanita1 as a genus and a species1 is nevertheless easily identified1 if the mushroom collector will for the moment consider it from the botanical rather than the sensuous or gustatorial standpoint4 ,the deadly ,amanita need no longer impose upon the fastidious feaster in the guise of the dainty legume of his menu1 or as a contaminating1 fatal ingredient in the otherwise wholesome ragot4 ,sidenote3 ,amanita vernus ,in ,plate #c ,i have presented the reprobate ,amanita vernus in its protean progressive proportions from infancy to maturity4 ,this is especially desirable1 in that the fungus is equally dangerous as an infant1 and also because the development of its growth specially emphasizes botanically the one important structural character by which the species or genus may be easily distinguished4 ,let us1 then1 consider the specimen as a type of the tribe ,agaricus 7gilled mushroom1 see p4 #gi71 genus ,amanita4 ,sidenote3 ,vegetation of an ,agaric ,sidenote3 ,the danger signal ,year after year we are sure of finding this species1 or others of the genus1 especially in the spring and summer1 its favorite haunt being the woods4 ,its spores1 like other mushrooms1 are shed upon the ground from the white gills beneath1 as described in our chapter on ,spore-prints1 or wafted to the ends of the earth on the breeze1 and eventually1 upon having found a suitable habitat1 vegetate in the form of webby1 white1 mould-like growth--mycelium--which threads through the dead leaves1 the earth1 or decaying wood4 ,this running growth is botanically considered as the true fungus1 the final mushroom being the fruit1 whose function is the dissemination of the spores4 ,after a rain1 or when the conditions are otherwise suitable1 a certain point among this webby tangle beneath the ground becomes suddenly quickened into astonishing cell-making energy1 and a small rounded nodule begins to form1 which continues to develop with great rapidity 7,plate #b74 ,in a few hours more it has pushed its head above ground1 and now appears like an egg1 as at ,a1 ,plate #c4 ,the successive stages in its development are clearly indicated in the drawings4 ,each represents an interval of an hour or two1 or more1 the most suggestive and important feature being the outer envelope1 or volva1 which encloses the actual mushroom--at first completely1 then in a ruptured condition1 until in the mature growth the only vestige of it which appears above ground are the few shreds generally1 though not always1 to be seen on the top of the cap4 ,the most important character of this deadly ,amanita is1 therefore1 apparently with almost artful malice prepense1 often concealed from our view in the mature specimen1 the only remnant of the original outer sack being the cup or socket about the base of the stem1 which is generally hidden under ground1 and usually there remains after we pluck the specimen4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,ii4--,,mycelium1 ,,and ,,early ,,vegetation ,,of ,a ,,mushroom ,sidenote3 ,the poison-cup ,this poison-cup may be taken as the cautionary symbol of the genus ,amanita1 common to all the species4 ,any mushroom or toadstool1 therefore1 whose stem is thus set in a socket1 or which has any suggestion of such a socket1 should be labelled poison2 for1 though some of the species having this cup are edible1 from the popular point of view1 it is wiser and certainly safer to condemn the entire group4 ,but the cup must be sought for4 ,we shall thus at least avoid the possible danger of a fatal termination to our amateur experiments in gustatory mycology2 for1 while various other mushrooms might1 and do1 induce even serious illness through digestive disturbance1 and secondary1 possibly fatal1 complications1 the ,amanita group are now conceded to be the only fungi which contain a positive1 active poisonous principle whose certain logical consequence is death4 ,sidenote3 ,the veil or shroud ,another structural feature of the ,amanita is shown in the illustration1 but has been omitted from the above consideration to avoid confusion4 ,this is the veil which1 in the young mushroom1 originally connected the edge of the cap1 or pileus1 with the stem1 and whose gradual rupture necessarily follows the expansion of the cap1 until a mere frill or ring is left about the stem at the original point of contact4 ,but this feature is a frequent character in many edible mushrooms1 as witness the several examples in the edible species of our plates1 and therefore of no dangerous significance per se1 being merely a membrane which protects the growing gills4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,iii4--,,development ,,of ,,amanita ,,vernus ,sidenote3 ,scales and scurfy spots ,nor are the other features1 the remnants of the volva on the summit of the cap1 to be considered of primary importance from the popular point of view1 for the reason--firstly1 that these fragments1 while conspicuous and constant in ,amanita muscarius 7,plate #d71 are not thus permanent in several other species of ,amanit1 notably the white-satin-capped ,amanita vernus1 ,amanita phalloides1 and ,amanita ,csarea1 in which the fragments are deciduous2 and1 secondly1 because the same general effect of these warty scales is so clearly imitated in other mushrooms which are distinctly edible1 as in examples ,plate #aj and ,plate #af4 ,it is to the volva or cup1 then1 that we must devote our special attention as the only safe and constant character4 ,and this leads me to the prominent and necessary consideration of another common species of ,amanita1 mentioned above1 in which even this cup is more or less obscure4 ,,the ,,poisonous ,,fly-,,mushroom ,agaricus 7,amanita7 muscarius ,sidenote3 ,a deceptive ,amanita ,this1 one of the most strikingly beautiful of our toadstools1 is figured in ,plate #d4 ,its brilliant cap of yellow1 orange1 or even scarlet1 studded with white or grayish raised spots1 can hardly be unfamiliar to even the least observant country walker4 ,its favorite habitat is the woods1 and1 in the writer's experience especially1 beneath hemlocks and poplars1 where he has seen this species year after year in whole companies1 and in all stages shown in the plate at the same time1 from the globular young specimen almost covered with its white warts just lifting its head above the brown carpet to the fully expanded individual1 in which the spots have assumed a shrunken and brownish tint4 ,sidenote3 ,used as a fly-poison ,sidenote3 ,its obscure cup ,the consideration of this species is of the utmost importance1 as its beauty is but an alluring mask1 which has enticed many to their destruction2 among the more recent of its conspicuous victims having been the ,czar ,alexis of ,russia4 ,for this is another cosmopolitan type of mushroom1 common alike in ,america1 ,great ,britain1 ,europe1 and ,asia1 in all of which countries it is notorious for its poisonous resources4 ,it is commonly known as the ,fly-agaric1 its substance macerated in milk having been employed for centuries as an effectual fly-poison4 ,after the reader's introduction to the botanical character of the ,amanita1 he would1 presumably1 be somewhat suspicious of the present species4 ,the suggestive white or dingy fragments upon its cap1 it is true1 would alone arouse his suspicions1 but in the examination of the stem for the telltale volva or cup its verification might be somewhat in doubt4 ,it is for this reason that the species is emphasized in these pages1 as the ,amanita muscarius1 judging from the great dissimilarity of its numerous portraits from all countries1 would seem to be remarkably protean1 especially with reference to its stalk4 ,the majority of the portraits of this reprobate presents the volva as distinct and as clean cut as in the ,a4 vernus just described1 and the stalk above as equally smooth1 features which are usually at variance with the associated botanical description of the species1 which often characterizes the volva as incomplete or obscure1 and the stem as rough and scaly4 ,if the portraits in these works are correct1 the ,amanita qualities of the species are clearly displayed1 but if their accompanying descriptions are to be credited1 and such seem to be in perfect accord with the specimens which ,i have always found1 the ,a4 muscarius would seem in need of a more authentic historian4 ,illustration3 ,amanita muscaria ,,plate ,,iv ,,fly ,,mushroom ,agaricus 7,amanita7 muscarius ,pileus3 ,diameter three to six inches1 quite flat at maturity2 color brilliant yellow1 orange1 or scarlet1 becoming pale with age1 dotted with adhesive white1 at length pale brownish warts1 the remnants of the volva4 ,gills3 ,pure white1 very symmetrical1 various in length1 the shorter ones terminating under the cap with an almost vertical abruptness4 ,spores3 ,pure white4 ,a spore-print of this species is shown in ,plate #cg4 ,stem3 ,white1 yellowish with age1 becoming shaggy1 at length scaly1 the scales below appearing to merge into the form of an obscure cup4 ,volva3 ,often obscure1 indicated by a mere ragged line of loose outward curved shaggy scales around a bulbous base4 ,flesh3 ,white4 ,habitat3 ,woods and their borders1 especially favoring pine and hemlock4 ,season3 ,summer and autumn4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,iv ,,amanita ,,muscaria4 7,,poisonous47 ,sidenote3 ,volva scales permanent ,the example figured in the plate presents the stem and volva as they have always appeared in specimens obtained by the writer4 ,in the young individuals the stem is waxy-white1 becoming later a dull1 pale ochre hue1 the lower half being shaggy and torn1 and beset with loose projecting woolly points which resolve themselves below into scales with loose tips curved outward1 and so distantly disposed upon the bulbous base as to leave no marked definition of the continuous rim or opening of a cup4 ,but the cup is there1 and in a section of the bud state of the mushroom could have been seen1 even as in the white warts upon the surface of the younger specimens we note the evidences of the upper portion of the same white volva4 ,in many other species of ,amanita1 notably ,a4 vernus1 as already mentioned1 these volva fragments generally wither and are shed from the cap4 ,they are thus not to be counted on as a permanent token4 ,but in the fly-mushroom they form a distinct character1 as they adhere firmly to the smooth skin of the pileus1 and in drying1 instead of shrivelling and curling and falling off1 simply shrink1 turn brownish1 and in the maturely expanded mushroom appear like scattered drops of mud which have dried upon the pileus4 ,another peculiar structural feature of this mushroom is shown in the sectional drawing herewith given4 ,the shorter gills1 instead of rounding off as they approach the pileus 7see a71 terminate abruptly almost at right angles to their edge4 ,the contrast from the usual form will be more apparent by comparison with the section of the parasol-mushroom on page #aad4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,specimen ,illustration3 ,,section ,,of ,,fly-,,amanita ,few species of mushrooms have such an interesting history as this4 ,its deadly properties were known to the ancients4 ,from the earliest times its deeds of notoriety are on record4 ,sidenote3 ,historical ,amanita ,this is quite possibly the species alluded to by ,pliny as very conveniently adapted for poisoning1 and is not improbably the mushroom referred to by this historian in the following quotation from his famous ,natural ,history3 ,mushrooms are a dainty food1 but deservedly held in disesteem since the notorious crime committed by ,agrippina1 who through their agency poisoned her husband1 the ,emperor ,claudius2 and at the same moment1 in the person of her son ,nero1 inflicted another poisonous curse upon the whole world1 herself in particular4 ,sidenote3 ,amanita dipsomaniacs ,notwithstanding its fatal character1 this mushroom1 it is said1 is habitually eaten by certain peoples1 to whom the poison simply acts as an intoxicant4 ,indeed1 it is customarily thus employed as a narcotic and an exhilarant in ,kamchatka and ,asiatic ,russia generally1 where the ,amanita drunkard supplants the opium fiend and alcohol dipsomaniac of other countries4 ,its narcotizing qualities are commemorated by ,cooke in his ,seven ,sisters of ,sleep1 wherein may be found a full description of the toxic employment of the fungus4 ,the writer has heard it claimed that this species of ,amanita has been eaten with impunity by certain individuals2 but the information has usually come from sources which warrant the belief that another harmless species has been confounded with it4 ,the warning of my ,frontispiece may safely be extended to the fly-amanita4 ,its beautiful gossamer veil may aptly symbolize a shroud4 ,sidenote3 ,forewarned and forearmed ,by fixing these simple structural features of the ,amanita in mind1 and emphasizing them by a study of our ,frontispiece1 we may now consider ourselves armed against our greatest foe1 and may with some assurance make our limited selection among this lavish larder of wild provender continually going to waste by the ton in our woods and pastures and lawns4 ,for it is now a fact generally believed by fungologists1 and being gradually demonstrated1 that the edible species1 far from being the exception1 as formerly regarded1 are the rule2 that a great majority of our common wild fungi are at least harmless1 if not positively wholesome and nutritious as food4 ,,the ,,poisonous ,,alkaloid ,the toxic and deadly effects of certain mushroom poisons1 as already described1 have been known since ancient times2 and the prolonged intoxicating debauches to-day prevalent among the ,amanita dipsomaniacs of ,northern ,russia and ,kamchatka1 consequent upon the allurements of the decoction of the fly-agaric1 are well-known matters of history4 ,the true chemical character of this poison1 however1 was not discovered until #ahfh1 when it was successfully isolated by chemical analyses of ,drs4 ,vigier1 ,schmiedeberg1 ,currie1 and ,koppe1 and ascertained to be an alkaloid principle1 to which was given originally the name of bulbosine1 since variously known as muscarine1 and finally and most appropriately amanitine4 ,sidenote3 ,mr4 ,palmer's discovery ,the poison thus identified1 it was reserved to an ,american authority on edible fungi1 ,mr4 ,julius ,a4 ,palmer1 of ,boston1 to discover the fact of its confinement to but one fungus family--the ,amanita4 ,in the year #ahgi1 in an article contributed by him to the ,moniteur ,scientifique1 of ,paris1 he states3 ,mushrooms are unfit for food by decay or other cause1 producing simply a disagreement with the system by containing some bitter1 acrid1 or slimy element1 or by the presence of a wonderful and dangerous alkaloid which is absorbed in the intestinal canal4 ,this alkaloid1 so far as known1 is found only in the ,amanita family4 ,to ,mr4 ,palmer1 then1 is due the chemical segregation of the ,amanita group as the only repository of this deadly toxic4 ,sidenote3 ,lesser poisoning ,it has not been discerned in other species of fungi1 whose so-called poisonous effects are more often traceable to mere indigestibility1 the selection of over-ripe specimens1 or to idiosyncrasy1 rather than to their distinctly poisonous properties4 ,many mushrooms of other families which do possess ingredients chemically at war with the human system--as the ,russula emetica and certain ,lactarii1 for instance--at least give a fair warning1 either by taste or odor1 of their dark intentions4 ,sidenote3 ,antidote for ,amanita ,sidenote3 ,first authentic application ,owing to the numerous deaths every year consequent upon mushroom-eating1 and nearly always directly traceable to the ,amanita1 the discovery of an antidote to this poison has been the quest of many noted chemists--several supposed antidotes having been experimented with upon dogs and other animals without desired results4 ,these included atropine1 the deadly crystalline alkaloid from the ,atropa belladonna4 ,the earlier experiments upon animals with this drug in ,paris1 as described by ,dr4 ,gautier in #ahhd1 while encouraging1 were not considered conclusive1 but were sufficient to warrant the suggestion that the treatment upon man might be effective4 ,in a rsum of the subject in the ,philadelphia ,medical and ,surgical ,reporter1 ,december1 #ahhe1 for the benefit of the medical practitioners who are so frequently called upon to attend cases of mushroom poisoning1 ,captain ,charles ,mc,ilvaine recommended the administration of a dose of atropine of from #j4je to #j4jjjb milligramme1 and it was later reserved for the same gentleman to witness the first authentic instance of the application of this remedy in antagonism with the ,amanita poison in the human system4 ,the report of this experience was afterwards published 7see ,bibliography1 ,no4 #f71 embodying also a complete and authentic account of the symptoms and treatment of the cases by the attending physician1 ,dr4 ,j4 ,e4 ,shadle1 of ,shenandoah1 ,pa41 which account ,i feel is appropriately included here1 being in full sympathy with the solicitous spirit of my pages4 ,i therefore quote the statement of ,dr4 ,shadle for the benefit of those interested4 ,,shenandoah1 ,,pa41 ,october #bf1 #ahhe4 ,mr4 ,,chas4 ,,mcilvaine3 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,in compliance with your request1 ,i take pleasure in submitting to your consideration the following report of five cases of toadstool-poisoning which recently came under my observation and treatment3 ,sidenote3 ,amanita poisoning symptoms ,on ,monday1 ,august #ca1 at #aj ,a4,m41 ,i was hastily called to see a family1 consisting of ,mr4 ,f41 his wife1 his mother-in-law1 ,mrs4 ,r41 and his brother-in-law1 ,thomas ,r41 who1 the messenger stated1 were having cramps in the bowels4 ,promptly responding to the call1 ,i found them suffering from intense abdominal pains1 nausea1 vomiting1 boneache1 and feelings of distress in the prcordial region4 ,mr4 ,f41 twenty-nine years of age1 was a miner by occupation1 and had led an intemperate life4 ,mrs4 ,f41 twenty-two years of age1 was a brunette1 possessing a delicate body1 and bearing a decided neurotic tendency4 ,mrs4 ,r41 forty-five years of age1 was a small nervo-bilious woman4 ,thomas ,r41 thirteen years of age1 was a youth well developed4 ,while ,i was examining these patients1 ,mrs4 ,b41 forty years of age1 a neighbor of the family1 presented herself1 manifesting in a milder degree the same symptoms4 ,she was a tall1 spare woman4 ,previous to their present attack of illness their general health was good2 in none could signs of disease be traced4 ,picture to your mind five persons suffering from cholera morbus in its most aggravated form1 and you will be enabled to form a pretty correct idea of what ,i beheld in the ,faris residence on ,monday morning1 ,august #ca4 ,that five individuals1 four being members of one household1 should be attacked simultaneously by a similar train of symptoms1 naturally gave rise in my mind to a suspicion that something poisonous had been eaten4 ,upon close inquiry ,i obtained the following history3 ,on the afternoon of ,sunday1 ,august #cj1 ,mr4 ,f4 and ,thomas ,r4 were walking through a wood not far distant from their home1 and1 in wandering from place to place1 found clusters of very beautiful toadstools growing abundantly under trees1 among which the chestnut predominated4 ,sidenote3 ,amanita poisoning symptoms ,attracted by their appearance1 and supposing them to be edible1 they gathered a large quantity1 with the anticipation of having a delicious dish for their ,sunday evening meal4 ,various other kinds were growing in the same locality1 but this particular variety impressed them as being the most inviting4 ,a correct specimen of the fungus they had collected having been sent you1 ,i will leave its botanical description to your pen4 ,at about nine o'clock1 five hours after gathering them1 ,mrs4 ,f4 cooked three pints of the toadstools1 stewing them in milk1 and seasoning with butter1 pepper1 and salt4 ,they had dinner at a very early hour on this day1 and by the time they had supper all felt exceedingly hungry1 in consequence of which they ate quite heartily4 ,mrs4 ,f4 and her brother vied with each other as to the quantity they could eat4 ,in addition to this dish1 bread and butter and coffee were served4 ,soon after supper the family retired4 ,none experienced the least discomfort until towards daybreak1 when considerable distress in the abdominal organs and cerebral disturbance manifested themselves4 ,prominent among the initial symptoms were foul breath1 coated tongue1 pain in the stomach1 nausea1 and a peculiar sickening sensation in the epigastrium4 ,these symptoms gradually increased in severity1 and in twelve hours after the ingestion of the poison1 when ,i made my first visit1 the condition of the victims involved great danger4 ,intense vomiting was present in four1 while in ,mrs4 ,r4's case a violent retching seemed to persist4 ,gastro-intestinal irritation1 followed by a relaxed condition of the bowels1 showed itself in about thirty hours after the onset of the more active symptoms4 ,with the appearance of this trouble an insufferable tenesmus developed1 producing paroxysms of severe agony4 ,this was particularly true in the case of ,mrs4 ,r41 whose suffering was so great that it became a formidable symptom to combat4 ,upon the subsidence of the more severe symptoms1 the patients fell into a state of extreme prostration1 accompanied by stupor and cold extremities4 ,in the mother1 son1 and daughter this was profoundly marked4 ,they were completely indifferent to persons and things around them1 as well as to their own suffering4 ,sidenote3 ,amanita poisoning symptoms ,as the symptoms increased in violence1 ,thos4 ,r4 advanced into a state of coma1 and ,mrs4 ,f4 into coma vigil1 and remained so for about twelve hours prior to death4 ,the face had a shrunken and wrinkled appearance1 the eyes were sunken1 the skin was dusky1 and the surface of the body was dry and cold to the touch4 ,the pulse1 a number of hours before death1 was imperceptible at the wrist1 and the heart-sounds were scarcely perceived by auscultation4 ,the pulse in all cases was notably affected1 ranging from #abj to #adj per minute4 ,in character it was soft and compressible2 intermittent at intervals4 ,there was a distinct rise of temperature2 the thermometer in the axilla registered as much as #adj ,f4 ,a mild form of delirium was an occasional event4 ,in the case of ,mrs4 ,f4 it formed an important element4 ,respecting the special senses1 it is well to mention that sight was peculiarly affected4 ,notwithstanding the fact that the pupils responded kindly to the action of the light1 an unpleasant sensation of blindness frequently appeared1 and continued for a few minutes4 ,in spite of all that was done to counteract its ravages1 the effects of the poison were so extremely deadly that a fatal issue was the result in two cases4 ,thomas ,r4 died in fifty-six and ,mrs4 ,f4 in sixty-three hours after the ingestion of the toadstools4 ,treatment4--,the treatment instituted was mainly symptomatic4 ,sidenote3 ,amanita poisoning treatment ,fearing that undigested particles of toadstools might still be lying in the gastro-intestinal tract1 to ,mrs4 ,r41 who had not freely vomited1 an emetic was administered1 and to the rest a mild purge4 ,an intense thirst and a burning sensation being present in the mouth1 throat1 and stomach1 small pieces of cracked ice were freely used with a view to allaying it4 ,for the gastro-intestinal irritation ,i prescribed with satisfactory results the following3 ,bismuth subnit41 v2 ,creosote1 gtt4 xv2 ,mucil4 acaci1 fi2 ,aq4 menth4 pip41 q4s4 ad fiii4 ,m4 ,sig4--,teaspoonful every one or two hours4 #a_/h grain of morph4 sulph4 was administered hypodermically to alleviate as much as possible the abdominal suffering4 ,the impending exhaustion and the failing heart's action ,i endeavored to combat with a free administration of alcoholic stimulants in combination with moderate doses of tincture of digitalis both by the mouth and under the skin4 ,in order to invite the circulation of the blood to the ice-cold surface of the body1 heated bricks and bottles filled with hot water were placed in bed around the patients4 ,sidenote3 ,diagnosis ,analyzing each symptom as it arose1 and carefully observing the effects of the poison on the system1 ,i formed the opinion that the toxic element contained in the noxious fungus eaten by these people was narcotic in its nature and spent its force on the nerve centres1 especially selecting the one governing the function of respiration and the action of the heart4 ,acting upon this conclusion1 ,i began1 in the early part of my treatment1 subcutaneous injections of sulphate of atropine in frequently-repeated doses1 ranging from #a_/ahj to #a_/ij grain4 ,the injections invariably were followed by a perceptible improvement in the patient2 the heart's action became stronger1 the pulse returned at the wrist1 and the respiration increased in depth and fulness4 ,through the agency of this remedy1 supported by the other measures adopted1 three 7or sixty per cent47 of the patients recovered4 ,the lessons ,i draw from this experience are3 #a4 ,the poisoning produced by this variety of toadstool is slow in manifesting its effects4 #b4 ,that it destroys life by a process of asthenia4 #c4 ,that in atropine we have an antidote1 and it should be pushed heroically from the earliest inception of the action of the poison4 ,i have the honor to remain ,yours very respectfully1 ,j4 ,e4 ,,shadle1 ,m4,d4 ,in reply to the queries1 ,was atropine administered in all the cases8 and ,what was the total amount administered to each8 ,dr4 ,shadle responded as follows3 ,,shenandoah1 ,,pa41 ,october #bi1 #ahhe4 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,mcilvaine3 ,yours of the #bgth ,i have received4 ,the two questions you ask me therein ,i see are very important1 and they should be answered as fully as possible4 ,i am sorry ,i overlooked the matter in my report4 ,sidenote3 ,amanitine and atropine ,before attempting an answer1 it is well for me to note right here that ,mrs4 ,b41 the neighbor1 did not eat very much of the toadstool stew2 ,mrs4 ,r4 and ,mr4 ,f4 each ate about the same quantity--from one and one-half to two platefuls4 ,this is according to ,faris's statement4 ,but the two fatal cases--,thomas ,r4 and ,mrs4 ,f4--tried to see which could eat the most1 and consequently got their full share of the poison4 ,the cat mentioned before had about a tablespoonful of the broth1 and they tell me she was very sick4 ,whether or not she died is not known4 ,now as to the treatment by atropine1 ,i think ,i can approximate a pretty correct statement in reply to your queries4 ,not knowing that atropine was considered an antidote1 ,i began its employment in the treatment of these cases from the physiological knowledge ,i had of the drug relative to its action in other diseases in which there was heart-failure and embarrassed respiration4 ,when ,i saw the ,u4 ,s4 ,dispensatory suggested it1 ,i of course felt it my duty to use it1 as ,i could find nowhere anything else mentioned as an antidote4 ,i feel convinced that it was by means of the atropine that ,i saved three of the five patients4 ,why do ,i think so8 ,because whenever ,i would administer the remedy the patient rallied1 the pulse returned at the wrist1 the heart-sounds became stronger1 and the respiration increased in strength and fulness4 ,what more conclusive evidence do ,i want than this to show as to how the agent was acting8 ,sidenote3 ,administration of antidote ,when ,i first saw the patients--twelve hours after the ingestion of the poison--their symptoms were alike1 one suffering as much as the other 7,august #ca74 ,i began the use of the alkaloid in the evening of the same day1 when ,i saw the powers of life giving way1 the heart failing1 and the respiration becoming shallow4 ,it was used in all the cases as follows3 ,mrs4 ,b41 #a_/ahj1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 or #e_/ahj1 or #a_/cf gr4 ,mr4 ,f41 #a_/ahj1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 or #g_/ahj gr4 ,mrs4 ,r41 #a_/ahj1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 or #g_/ahj gr4 ,thos4 ,r41 #a_/ahj1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 or #i_/ahj1 or #a_/bj gr4 ,mrs4 ,f41 #a_/ahj1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 #a_/ij1 or #i_/ahj1 or #a_/bj gr4 ,in accordance with the above formul the drug was administered4 ,i visited the patients at intervals of six or eight hours1 and at each visitation they received an injection in the doses above mentioned4 ,from this we see that in all ,mrs4 ,b4 received gr4 #a_/cf of atropine2 ,mr4 ,f4 received gr4 #g_/ahj of atropine2 ,mrs4 ,r4 received gr4 #g_/ahj of atropine2 ,thos ,r4 7fatal7 received gr4 #a_/bj of atropine2 ,mrs4 ,f4 7fatal7 received gr4 #a_/bj of atropine4 ,the alkaloid failing to save the two that died ,i think can be attributed to one of two causes1 or probably both3 #a4 ,that the use of atropine was begun too late and not used heroically enough4 #b4 ,that so much of the poison was taken up by the system in these cases that it became too virulent to counteract4 ,from the history of the cases ,i know they ate by far the largest quantity4 ,my opinion leans towards the first probable cause ,i have mentioned4 ,another fact worth stating here is that the pupils never became affected by the administration of these doses4 ,hoping this will make the matter satisfactory1 ,i remain ,yours truly1 ,j4 ,e4 ,,shadle4 ,the interval between the ingestion and the symptoms is1 therefore1 a most important aid in the diagnosis of a case of mushroom poisoning2 and in the event of an ,amanita1 heretofore absolutely fatal1 it is presumably under the control of medical science1 now that the deadly toxic principle has at last found its enemy in the neutralizing properties of the equally deadly atropine4 ,it would seem1 moreover1 from the severe personal experience of ,mr4 ,julius ,a4 ,palmer1 that the poison of the ,amanita is quite capable of mischief without being taken into the digestive organs4 ,so volatile is this dangerous alkaloid that it may produce violent effects upon the system either through its odor alone1 or by simple contact with the skin and consequent absorption4 ,mr4 ,palmer1 in his before-mentioned article in the ,moniteur ,scientifique1 ,paris1 relates the following experiences3 ,sidenote3 ,poisons by contact and odor ,once while perspiring from a long walk ,i undertook to bring in a large bunch of the ,amanita for an artist4 ,seated in a close car1 holding them in my warm hand1 although protected by a paper wrapper1 a fearful nausea overcame me4 ,the toadstool was not at first suspected1 yet ,i had all the symptoms of a sea-sick person1 and was only relieved by a wide distance between myself and the exciting cause4 ,while writing this article1 he continues1 a friend sent me two very elegant specimens of the ,amanita tribe4 ,they were in a confined box4 ,on opening it ,i smelled of them a few times1 and allowed the box to lie near my desk while ,i wrote to a medical gentleman anxious to procure such for chemical experiment4 ,having sent them away the matter was dismissed from my mind for three hours after1 when1 by an attack of vomiting and oppression at the stomach1 they were enforced upon my attention4 ,the whites of my eyes became livid1 and even until noon the day following the leaden color of my face was noticed by more than one person4 ,sidenote3 ,a wide berth to ,amanita ,the moral of this story is that the less the reader has to do with ,amanita fungi the better4 ,let them have a wide berth1 or at most an annihilating kick1 lest by their alluring beauty they tempt the next unwary traveller who shall encounter them4 ,but you desire a specimen to show a friend1 or to make a photograph of1 or a sketch1 perhaps4 ,in such case it were well to consider further the experiences of ,mr4 ,palmer1 which will show the wisdom of keeping your gustatorial and artistic mycology in separate expeditions1 or at least of providing your poison-exhaling ,amanita specimen with a cage by itself4 ,in the same article he continues3 ,sidenote3 ,mushrooms inoculated by contact ,mushrooms make the same use of the atmosphere as men1 even their exhalations are accordingly vitiated with their properties4 ,those not deadly thus attack humanity--namely1 by absorption of their essential elements by the whole system4 ,they also inoculate each other with or without contact1 so that if edible and noxious toadstools are gathered together the former will absorb the properties of the latter4 ,in proof of this assertion he instances a personal experience as follows3 ,about four years ago a number of poisonous mushrooms 7not ,amanit1 but of a totally different family7 were sent me with edible fungus4 ,the two varieties had lain twelve hours in the same box4 ,the noxious ones were rejected1 and the esculent washed and eaten4 ,in a moment my appetite was gone2 violent perspiration1 vertigo1 and trembling were the next symptoms2 then chills1 nausea1 purging1 and tenesmus1 all within thirty minutes4 ,now the substance could not have reached the intestines4 ,the virus absorbed from the noxious fungus permeated the whole system through eating the harmless ones2 unmixed with other food it acted upon the muscles through an empty stomach2 once spent1 the ailment passed off1 etc4 ,sidenote3 ,poison extracted by vinegar ,from these and other experiences he draws the following conclusions3 ,the poisonous principle of a fungus being absorbed by a harmless element1 if the latter be eaten the venom acts more quickly4 ,in reinforcement of this he states that if the ,amanita be cut in sections and laid in vinegar the fungus may be eaten without danger to life2 but on a very small dose of the vinegar1 death will follow more speedily than if the whole toadstool be eaten4 ,further interesting matter upon this topic is contained in the article from which ,i quote1 and to which the reader is referred in his volume included in my bibliographical list4 ,the work also contains numerous other collected articles of ,mr4 ,palmer's upon this subject of fungi1 to which he has devoted so much attention1 and with which his name has become so popularly identified in ,america4 ,sidenote3 ,effect of salt and heat ,the allusion to vinegar as an absorbent of the poison suggests the prevalent habitual use of salt as a safeguard by many in the employment of the fungus as food1 as both of these ingredients play a prominent part in a fungus cuisine4 ,it is averred by some writers that one of the most noxious of ,amanit--the ,fly-agaric--is eaten in some countries1 notably ,russia1 without unpleasant results1 while it is confidently asserted to be harmless after1 as it were1 having its venom drawn by a soaking in brine previous to cooking4 ,boiling--both in the possible neutralizing of the poison through heat1 and in the withdrawal of the same in the solution--would also be contributive to safety in such cases1 provided the tainted liquid were not retained as in a stew or soup4 ,sidenote3 ,epicurean perversity ,on this topic it is interesting to note the epicurean perversity of a certain ,french author1 who1 in the face of the already overwhelming abundance of nature's esculent species of fungi1 must needs include all the deadly ,amanit as well1 though he gives a recipe by which the poison is extracted by the copious aid of salt1 vinegar1 boiling water1 and drawing4 ,this process1 on general principles1 might invite humorous speculation as to the appetizing qualities of the residual morsel thus acquired1 or as to the advisability of deliberately selecting a poisonous substance for the desideratum of the washed-out1 corned1 spiced1 nondescript remnant which survives the process of extraction1 not only of its noxious properties1 but of even what nutriment it might possibly contain4 ,sidenote3 ,mushrooms la mode ,fancy a beefsteak similarly prepared1 all its nourishing ingredients extracted and thrown away2 its exhausted remnant of muscular fibre now the mere absorbent vehicle for vinegar1 salt1 lemon-juice1 butter1 nutmeg1 garlic1 spice1 cloves1 and other seeming indispensables to the preparation of the ,champignon la mode6 ,the verdict of the extreme fungus epicure upon the delectable flavor of this or that mushroom must indeed be taken cum grano salis1 the customary culinary treatment1 or maltreatment1 of these delicately flavored fruits having for its apparent object the elimination as far as possible of any suggestion of the true flavor of the fungus4 ,i fancy that even the caustic1 rebellious root of the ,indian-turnip or the skunk-cabbage thus tamed and subdued in a smothering emollient of spiced gravy or ragot might negatively serve a purpose as more or less indigestible pabulum4 ,sidenote3 ,enough without ,amanita ,while1 as already mentioned1 a few of this genus ,amanita are edible1 it is well in concluding our chapter to emphasize the caution of an earlier page as to the absolute exclusion of the entire genus from the bill of fare of the amateur mycophagist4 ,there is an abundance of wholesome1 delicious fungi at our doors without them4 ,many species of ,amanita are to be found more or less frequently in company with the esculent varieties recommended in the chapters following4 ,among these the two extremes of variation from the typical form are seen in the ,a4 muscarius in its permanent retention of the volva scales and the obscurity of its cup1 and in the ,a4 phalloides1 herewith pictured about half natural size1 with the frequent entire absence of these remnant scales1 which wither and fall off1 leaving the yellowish or greenish cap perfectly smooth4 ,it is to the volva or cup1 then1 that we must turn for the one fixed permanent character by which this genus is to be identified4 ,illustration3 ,,amanita ,,phalloides ,illustration3 ,agaricini or ,gill-bearing ,fungi ,illustration3 ,agarics ,our introductory description of the ,amanita presents the most perfect botanical type of a large division of the fungus tribe1 the ,agaricace1 or gill-bearing mushrooms1 one of the two great orders of fungi which include the large majority of edible species4 ,a brief consideration of the general classification of fungi will not be out of place at the head of this chapter4 ,,classification ,,of ,,fungi ,a fungus is a cellular cryptogamous 7flowerless7 plant1 nourished through its spawn or mycelium in place of roots1 living in air1 and propagated by spores4 ,fungi--mycetes--are naturally subdivided into two great divisions3 #a4 ,,sporifera--those in which the spores or reproductive bodies are naked or soon exposed1 as shown in illustration on page #gi4 #b4 ,,sporidiifera--in which the spores are enveloped in sacs or asci4 ,these resemble in shape the cystidium of illustration on page #gi4 ,the first of these divisions--the ,,sporifera1 or naked-spored fungi--is again subdivided into four families1 as follows3 #a4 ,hymenomycetes4 ,hymenium1 or spore-bearing surface1 exposed and conspicuous1 as seen in the common mushroom and all ,agarics and ,polyporei4 #b4 ,gasteromycetes 7gaster1 a belly74 ,hymenium1 or spore-bearing surface1 enclosed in a more or less spherical case1 called the peridium1 which ruptures and expels the spores at maturity in the form of dust1 as in the puff-balls4 #c4 ,coniomycetes1 from the ,greek 1 meaning dust1 the entire fungus having a dust-like appearance4 ,mildew forms a good example of this family4 #d4 ,hyphomycetes1 from the ,greek 1 meaning a thread4 ,thread-like fungi1 the filaments being more conspicuous than the spore masses1 of which group blue-mould affords an illustration4 ,illustration ,the ,hymenomycetes 7#a7 is again subdivided into six orders1 the discrimination being based on the diverse character of the spore surface4 ,the first of these orders is the ,agaricini1 or gill-bearing fungi1 to which our present chapter will be confined4 ,,agaricini ,in this order the hymenium1 or spore-bearing surface1 is inferior1 i4e41 on the under side of the pileus1 and is spread over lamell or gills1 which radiate from the stem of the fungus1 and each of which may be separated into two filmy flat divisions4 ,illustration3 ,,spore-,,surface ,,magnified ,on the opposite page is shown an ,agaric in vertical section1 disclosing a full side view of the gills4 ,a highly magnified view of this gill-surface is indicated herewith1 duly indexed1 the sporophore being shown in the act of shedding its spores from their points of attachment to the four stigmata at the summit4 ,these fruitful four-pointed sporophores or basidia are intermingled with the cystidia and sterile cells1 the whole mass forming the surface of the hymenium4 ,the dissemination of the ,agaric is further considered in a later chapter on ,spore-prints4 ,the most perfect botanical type of the ,agarics is the ,amanita1 already sufficiently dwelt upon4 ,we will now proceed to the consideration of other examples in which the symbol of the fatal cup is happily absent1 and whose identities as esculent species are clearly denoted by individual characteristics4 ,,edible ,,agarics ,,meadow ,,mushroom ,agaricus campestris ,sidenote3 ,the mushroom ,sidenote3 ,description of ,campestris ,perhaps the one species which enjoys the widest range of popular confidence as the mushroom in the lay mind1 as distinguished from toadstool1 is the ,agaricus campestris1 known as the meadow mushroom 7,plate #e74 ,it is the species commonly exposed in our markets4 ,its cultivation is an important industry1 but it often yields an enormous spontaneous harvest in its native haunts4 ,the plate shows a cluster of the mushrooms in their various stages of development1 the detached specimen below representing the semi-opened condition in which the fungus is usually gathered for market4 ,it will be observed that the base of the stem is entirely free from any suggestion of a volva or cup4 ,as its popular name implies1 this species in its wild state is one of the voluntary tributes of our late summer and autumn meadows and pastures1 though it may occasionally frequent lawns1 shrubberies1 and barn-yards4 ,in size it varies from two to three and a half inches across the pileus or cap1 which is either smooth or slightly rough1 scaly1 or scurfy1 and creamy white or tawny in color1 according to age or variety4 ,the most important distinguishing feature of this species is the color of the gills4 ,if we break away the veil in the unopened specimen1 we find them to be of a pallid flesh tint4 ,in the more advanced state they become decidedly pinkish1 with age and expansion gradually deepening to purplish1 purple-brown1 and finally brownish black4 ,the gills are of unequal lengths1 as shown in the section4 ,the stem is creamy white and of solid substance1 and always shows the remains of the veil in a persistent frill or ring just beneath the cap4 ,illustration3 ,agaricus campestris ,,plate ,v ,,the ,,mushroom ,agaricus campestris ,pileus3 ,at first globular1 its edge connected to stem by the veil2 then round convex1 at length becoming possibly almost flat4 ,surface dry1 downy1 or even quite scaly1 varying in color from creamy white to light brown4 ,diameter at full expansion1 about three inches4 ,gills3 ,unequal in length2 pink when first revealed1 becoming brownish1 brown1 purplish1 and finally almost black4 ,stem3 ,solid2 of the color of the cap2 paler and white in section1 retaining the remnant of the veil in a permanent ragged ring4 ,spores3 ,brown4 ,taste3 ,sweet and inviting1 and odor agreeable4 ,habitat3 ,pastures1 lawns1 and open rich soil generally4 ,season3 ,late summer and early autumn1 occasionally in spring4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,v ,,agaricus ,,campestris4 ,sidenote3 ,cultivation of mushrooms ,doubtless a sufficient and satisfactory reason for the universal dignity which this species has acquired as the mushroom may be found in the fact that it is the only species prominently under cultivation1 and almost the only one which is sure to respond to the artificial cultivation of its spawn in the so-called mushroom bed4 ,the spawn of the ,campestris has thus become a mercantile commodity1 duly advertised in the seedsmen's catalogues4 ,sidenote3 ,mushroom spawn bed ,this so-called spawn is in truth nothing but the mycelium1 or subterranean vine of the mushroom 7see ,plate #b71 taken from the beds in which the mushrooms have been grown1 or in which the mycelium has been cultivated4 ,the cultivator simply prepares a bed to receive it--duplicating as far as possible the soil conditions from which it was taken1 whether from foreign cultivation or his old manure-bed or stable-yard--a rich1 warm compost of loam and horse-manure1 this latter ingredient being a most important consideration1 as the fungus in its several varieties1 notably the larger1 ,agaricus arvensis1 known as the horse-mushroom1 has followed the track of the horse around the world4 ,these natural conditions having been even approximately fulfilled1 will1 within two months1 generally reward the cultivator with a crop of mushrooms1 which1 with the continued ramifications of the mycelium permeating the muck as the yeast fungus permeates the home-made loaf1 will insure a continual succession of crops for weeks or months1 to be renewed spontaneously1 perhaps1 the following season4 ,the present volume1 having specific reference to fungi in their wild state1 and the celebration of their esculent virtues1 being thus essentially in antithesis to artificial culture1 further consideration of the cultivation of the mushroom is omitted4 ,the reader is referred to the volumes in my bibliographical list1 ,nos4 #h and #bb1 in which full instructions will be found4 ,sidenote3 ,species opposed to cultivation ,sidenote3 ,certain exceptions ,the ,campestris is conspicuous among mushrooms in its ready accommodation to artificial imitation of its native environment4 ,there is no other mushroom which is thus confidently to be relied on4 ,other species--not a dozen1 however1 out of the thousands--will occasionally reward the cultivator1 who has devoted the most scrupulous care to the humoring of their fastidious conditions of growth4 ,thus the ,agaricus candicans of the ,italian markets is said to have been successfully raised from chips of the white poplar which have been properly covered with manure4 ,other species1 it is claimed1 can be humored from a block of the cob-nut tree after singeing its surface over burned straw1 while ,dr4 ,thore claims that both ,boletus edulis1 and ,agaricus procerus are constantly raised by the inhabitants of his district from a watery infusion of said plants poured upon the ground4 ,the truth of these statements has been denied by authorities1 and individual experiment will only tend to discredit their trustworthiness4 ,in general the mushroom or toadstool absolutely refuses to be coaxed or cajoled4 ,the mycelium of all is practically identical2 but species such as the ,coprinus1 for instance1 which are perhaps found growing naturally in company with the ,campestris1 and whose spawn is similarly transplanted to the artificial environment1 will show no sign of reappearance1 while its fellow may literally crowd the bed4 ,sidenote3 ,not to be humored ,the fairy-ring mushroom grows year after year upon our lawn1 because its mycelium is continually present1 simply threading its way outwardly1 inch by inch1 in the congenial surrounding soil4 ,instances are reported of the occasional successful establishment of this mushroom in new quarters by the transfer of a clod of earth threaded with mycelium taken from the fairy-ring to another lawn1 in which the immediate soil conditions happened to be harmonious1 and this method of actual transference of the spawn might occasionally be effectual4 ,but the writer1 in his limited number of experiments1 has never yet been able to propagate a mushroom by a transfer of the spores to soil where the conditions would appear to be exactly suitable4 ,on a certain lawn1 for instance1 every year ,i obtain a number of the ,coprinus comatus 7,plate #af74 ,upon another lawn1 apparently exactly similar as to soil conditions1 ,i transfer the melting mushroom where it sheds its inky spore-solution upon the earth1 and yet1 after years of waiting1 there is no response4 ,even an absolute transfer of the webby spawn from the original haunt has proven equally without result4 ,thus while the habitual fungus-hunter comes to recognize a certain logical association between a given character of natural haunt and some certain species of fungi--a prophetic suspicion often immediately fulfilled--as when he inwardly remarks1 as he comes upon an open1 clear spot in the woods1 ,this is an ideal haunt for the green ,russula1 and instantly stumbles upon his specimen2 yet he may take the pallid spawn1 with a small clod of earth from its roots1 and place it in the mould not ten feet distant1 apparently in identically auspicious conditions1 and it absolutely refuses to be humored4 ,he may mark the spot1 and look in vain in its precincts for a decade for his ,russula1 though the ground in the vicinity be dotted with them4 ,sidenote3 ,dormant spores ,year after year ,i have thrown my refuse specimens of hundreds of species of fungi out of my studio window1 over the piazza rail or upon my lawn1 yet never with the slightest sign that one of the millions of spores in the species thus sown has vegetated4 ,considering the ready accommodation of the ,campestris1 the contrast of the fastidiousness in other species is a notable phenomenon4 ,as a rule1 they will not colonize2 they will not emigrate2 they will not be cheated out of their natural possessions3 they refuse to be educated1 and stand themselves upon their single leg1 as the most independent and contrary growth with which man has to deal4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,vi4 ,,variations ,,in ,,agaricus ,,campestris ,sidenote3 ,varieties of the ,campestris ,the ,campestris is probably the most protean of all mushrooms1 and mycologists are even yet at odds as to the proper botanical disposition of many of the contrasting varieties which it assumes4 ,a few of these are indicated in ,plate #f4 ,indeed1 some of these1 as in the ,agaricus arvensis1 following1 have until quite recently figured as distinct species4 ,in its extreme form it might well so do1 but when science is confronted with an intermediate specimen bearing equal affinities to the ,campestris and ,arvensis--and perhaps reinforced by other individuals which actually merge completely into the ,campestris--the discrimination of the ,arvensis as a distinct species becomes impossible1 and would hardly seem warrantable4 ,berkeley gives the following selection of the more distinct varieties1 not including the ,arvensis with its variations1 and which he considers a distinct species3 #a4 ,the so-called garden mushroom1 with its brownish1 hairy1 scaly cap4 #b4 ,a4 pratensis1 in which the pileus is more or less covered with reddish scales1 and the flesh as well as gills a pinkish tinge4 #c4 ,a4 villaticus1 large size and very scaly4 #d4 ,a4 silvicola1 pileus smooth and shining1 stem elongated and conspicuously swollen at base2 often found in woods4 #e4 ,a4 vaporarius1 brown pilose coat which covers the stem as well as the cap1 and leaves streaky fragments on the stalk as it elongates4 #f4 ,he also figures another marked form1 with the cap of a reddish color1 completely covered with a pilose coat2 the gills being perfectly white in young specimens1 and the flesh turning bright red when bruised4 ,any one of the above1 he admits1 are as much entitled to classification as distinct species as the ,arvensis4 ,sidenote3 ,the horse mushroom ,the application of the title horse-mushroom to this last-mentioned species was generally supposed to be referable to the same popular traditions of which we see the analogies in the names horse-weed1 horse-nettle1 horse-balm1 horseradish among the herbs--the prefix horse referring to the element of coarseness or rank growth4 ,but in the instance of the mushroom it bears a deeper significance1 as this ample cosmopolitan variety of the ,campestris1 which follows the horse all over the world1 from stable and through lane to pasture1 and which can only be grown in the manure of this animal1 is now generally believed to be a secondary1 exaggerated form consequent upon the following conditions3 ,the spores of the ,campestris are shed in myriads in the pastures4 ,the grazing horse no doubt swallows thousands of them1 which1 upon their return to the soil under especially favorable conditions for growth1 vegetate into mycelium1 and at length fructify in the full-formed mushroom4 ,the dense white spawn of this species may often be seen beneath the manure in pastures where no sign of the mushroom itself is yet apparent4 ,sidenote3 ,a huge variety ,during the writing of the present pages ,i have received from ,arizona a letter accompanied with a sketch of a most astonishing mushroom1 which my correspondent finds plentifully prevalent in his vicinity1 growing in arid sand1 even in an exceptionally dry season4 ,he claims that it is deliciously edible1 and he has partaken of it several times4 ,his sketch and description call to mind no existing form of mushroom known to me1 though from one peculiarity in particular--namely1 its frequently enormous size1 occasionally ten inches in diameter--one would naturally expect to find it at least notorious1 if not famous4 ,it is plainly an ,agaric related to the ,campestris1 and from the fact of its having pink gills darker in older specimens ,i suspect it to be simply another local masquerade of this same ,campestris1 which suspicion1 by the receipt of further data1 ,i hope soon to verify4 ,,horse-,,mushroom ,agaricus arvensis ,sidenote3 ,description of ,arvensis ,this other and larger variety1 so readily confounded with the ,campestris1 demands further and more detailed description4 ,it may frequently be found growing in company with the former1 and so closely do the two kinds merge in specimens of equal size that it is often a puzzle to separate the species4 ,indeed1 as already mentioned by some mycologists1 the larger form is considered merely as a variety of the ,campestris4 ,the accompanying plate 7#e7 may well serve as a portrait of this species also4 ,it frequents the same localities as the former1 and is occasionally seen crowded in clusters of crescent shape1 or in scattered rings1 while its size is generally conspicuous1 the solid cream-colored or white cap often expanding to the diameter of seven inches4 ,its substance discolors to yellowish brown on being bruised4 ,the stem is less solid than in ,campestris1 often with a pithlike or even hollow heart4 ,the gills are of unequal length1 as in the former species1 though of much the same tints of pink and brown and black1 though more dingy in the lighter shades4 ,the veil is often more conspicuous1 and occasionally appears to be double1 the outer or lower more or less ragged or split into a fringe at the edge4 ,the species can hardly be mistaken for any poisonous variety1 and1 once recognized1 its generous size1 frequent profusion1 and savory qualities make it a tempting quest to the epicure1 being considered by many as superior in flavor to its rival1 the smaller ,campestris4 ,sidenote3 ,in matters of taste ,but this question of gastronomic prestige will perhaps never be finally settled4 ,de gustibus non est disputandum4 ,species considered here by many as the ne plus ultra of delicacies1 like the ,campestris1 are discriminated against in other countries1 and in ,rome1 it is said1 are even thrown into the ,tiber by inspectors and guardians of the public health who find it exposed for sale in the markets4 ,there are those connoisseurs in delicate feasting who consider no other species comparable to this4 ,these fastidious gourmands are in turn viewed with pitying consideration by other superior epicurean feeders with finer sensuous discrimination1 who know perfectly well that our woods afford a number of common species which easily consign the ,campestris to the fourth or fifth choice as a competitor at the feast4 ,the arts of the chef have been exhausted in the savory preparation of this1 the most famous of the mushrooms4 ,a few of his ingenious methods are given in a later chapter4 ,meanwhile most of us will be perfectly contented with our simple mushrooms on toast4 ,while the ,campestris is generally considered as the mushroom1 there is another species which almost equally shares the honors in popular favor4 ,i have alluded to the habit of the horse-mushroom as growing in crescents or rings4 ,this singular tendency is1 however1 much more fully exemplified in another fungus1 which has thus won the popular patronymic of the ,fairy-ring ,champignon1 and which is considered on page #aja4 ,,st4 ,,george',s ,,mushroom ,agaricus gambosus ,sidenote3 ,remarkably strong odor ,another very common example of mushroom in its season of early spring is the ,agaricus gambosus1 or ,st4 ,george's mushroom1 as it is popularly styled in ,great ,britain1 from its usual appearance about the time of ,st4 ,george's ,day1 ,april #bc;d4 ,in addition to its unusually early season1 which is the same with us1 and which at this date would be a valuable hint in its identification1 it has also the singular habit of growing in rings or clustered in crescents1 after the manner of the ,fairy-ring ,champignon of our lawns4 ,add to this1 also1 a very strong odor1 and we have at least three suggestive characteristics to aid us4 ,this odor1 according to ,dr4 ,cooke1 is so strong as to occasionally become oppressive and overpowering where the fungus is plentiful4 ,workmen employed to root them out are said to have been so overcome by the odor as to be compelled to desist4 ,other features of this fungus are noted in ,plate #g4 ,the cap varies in size in different individuals1 but is occasionally very large--five inches or more in diameter1 the average expanse1 perhaps1 being about three inches4 ,the cap is smooth1 thick1 and fleshy1 suggesting soft kid leather1 at first rounded convex1 ultimately expanding quite horizontally1 and is commonly fissured here and there with irregular cracks1 both in its expanse and at its edges4 ,its color is white1 or yellowish white4 ,in surface appearance ,dr4 ,berkeley compared it to a cracknel biscuit4 ,the gills are yellowish white1 very moist and densely crowded1 and of various lengths1 as indicated in my sectional drawing on the plate1 and are1 moreover1 annexed to the solid stout stem by a toothed border1 also shown herewith4 ,illustration3 ,,toothed ,,gills ,sidenote3 ,epicurean opinions ,the season of this mushroom extends into ,june1 and in its favorite haunt it may occasionally be gathered by the bushel4 ,opinions are at variance as to the comparative esculent qualities of this species4 ,certainly delicacy cannot be claimed for it2 but those epicures who desire the characteristic fungus flavor at its maximum will find it in the ,gambosus4 ,illustration3 ,agaricus gambosus ,,plate ,,vii ,,st4 ,,george',s ,,mushroom ,agaricus gambosus ,pileus3 ,three to six inches in diameter1 occasionally much larger2 rounded convex1 at length more flat and commonly cracked here and there2 surface smooth1 thick1 and fleshy1 suggesting soft kid leather4 ,color1 pale ochre or yellowish white4 ,gills3 ,densely crowded2 yellowish white2 very moist2 various lengths2 each annexed to stem by a small sharp downward curve4 ,stem3 ,solid2 stout2 substance creamy white4 ,spores3 ,white4 ,taste3 ,highly flavored2 by some considered too gamy4 ,odor3 ,powerfully strong1 perhaps rank4 ,habitat3 ,fields1 lawns1 and pastures1 frequently growing in broken rings or crescents4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,vii ,,agaricus ,,gambosus4 ,by many fungus-feasters this species is prized as the ne plus ultra1 and most various are the methods of its culinary preparation1 either in the form of mince and fricassee with various meats1 suitably seasoned with salt1 pepper1 and butter1 or simply broiled and served on buttered toast4 ,an appetizing recipe for this especial mushroom is given on page #cac4 ,,true ,,fairy-,,ring ,,champignon ,marasmius oreades ,sidenote3 ,fairy-ring mushrooms true and false ,i remember1 as a boy1 summer after summer observing upon a certain spot upon our lawn this dense1 and at length scattering1 ring of tiny yellowish mushrooms1 and the aroma1 as they simmered on the kitchen stove1 is an appetizing memory4 ,this species is very common1 and inasmuch as it is likely to be confounded with two noxious varieties1 it is advisable to bring in prominent contrast the characters of the true and the false4 ,the true ,fairy-ring ,champignon is pictured in ,plate #h4 ,it is common on lawns and close-cropped pastures1 where it is usually seen growing in rings more or less broken1 and often several feet in diameter1 or in disconnected arcs1 the vegetation extending outward year by year4 ,this mushroom is held in great esteem1 and frequently grows in such profusion that bushels may be gathered in a small area4 ,sidenote3 ,true fairy-ring ,the pileus is buff or cream colored1 from one to two inches in diameter1 leathery and shrivelled when dry1 but when moist1 after rain or dew1 becoming brownish1 soft1 and pliable1 the conditions perhaps alternating for several days2 the skin refuses to be peeled1 and in the older1 fully opened specimens the centre of the cap is raised in a distinct tiny mound2 gills1 widely separated1 about ten or twelve to the inch at circumference in average specimens1 same color as cap1 or paler1 unequal in length1 curving upward on reaching stem1 thus free from apparent contact with it2 stem1 equal diameter1 tough1 fibrous1 and tenacious1 paler than gills1 smooth to the base 7no spines nor down72 cup1 none2 spores1 white2 taste nutty1 somewhat aromatic1 appetizing2 habitat usually on lawns or pastures4 ,sidenote3 ,traditions of the mystic ring ,the ring was long involved in mystery1 being attributed to moles1 lightning1 witchcraft1 etc42 and1 clothed with popular superstition1 has found its way into many folk-legends1 and has figured in the lore of elfs and goblins1 to whom1 in the absence of scientific knowledge1 the strange1 fungus-haunted circle was referred1 the ring being applied not merely to the circle of mushrooms themselves1 but especially to the clearly defined ring of clear1 fresh grass surrounding the central1 more faded area4 ,but the fairies no longer dance their moonlight rigadoon upon the charmed circle of the champignon1 nor do the nimble elves rear their midnight mushrooms upon the rings of lush grass as of old1 for science has stepped in and cleared up the mystery4 ,the ,rev4 ,m4 ,j4 ,berkeley1 in his ,outlines to ,british ,fungology1 thus completely rescues the fairy-ring from the domain of poetry and reduces it to prosaic fact3 ,illustration3 ,marasmius oreades ,,plate ,,viii ,,fairy ,,ring ,,champignon ,marasmius oreades ,pileus3 ,convex at first1 becoming flat1 with a mound at centre1 at juncture of stem2 texture1 tough and pliable when moist1 brittle in drying1 alternating between these two conditions with rain and sun2 color1 reddish buff at first1 becoming cream colored when old1 when it is usually quite wrinkled4 ,gills3 ,broad1 and quite separated2 about ten or twelve to the inch at rim in large specimens2 unequal in length2 deep cream color2 clearing the stem as they curve upward towards cap4 ,stem3 ,solid2 equal diameter2 tough and fibrous2 naked and smooth at base4 ,spores3 ,white4 ,taste3 ,sweet1 nutty1 and appetizing4 ,odor3 ,aromatic and pleasant4 ,habitat3 ,pastures and lawns1 generally growing in rings or curved lines4 ,diameter of pileus1 full expansion1 one to two inches4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,viii ,,marasmius ,,oreades4 ,sidenote3 ,the ring explained ,these rings are sometimes of very ancient date1 and attain such enormous dimensions as to be distinctly visible on a hill-side for a great distance4 ,it is believed that they originate from a single fungus whose growth renders the soil immediately beneath unfit for its reproduction4 ,the spawn1 however1 spreads all around1 and in the second year produces a crop1 whose spawn spreads again1 the exhausted soil behind forbidding its return in that direction4 ,thus the circle is continually increased1 and extends indefinitely till some cause intervenes to destroy it4 ,if the spawn does not spread on all sides at first1 an arc of a circle only is produced4 ,the manure arising from the dead fungi of former years makes the grass peculiarly vigorous around1 so as to render the circle visible even when there is no external appearance of fungus1 and the contrast is often stronger from that behind being killed by the old spawn4 ,this mode of growth is far more common than is supposed1 and may be observed constantly in our woods1 where the spawn can spread only in the soil or among the leaves and decaying fragments which cover it4 ,sidenote3 ,various recipes ,many recipes are recommended for the preparation of this mushroom1 some of which are given in a later chapter1 including the method of desiccation so commonly employed with other species1 and by which the champignon may be kept for ready use throughout the winter months4 ,in its fresh state1 according to ,j4 ,m4 ,berkeley1 ,when of good size and quickly grown1 it is perhaps the best of all fungi for the table1 whether carefully fried or stewed with an admixture of finely mixed herbs and a minute portion of garlic4 ,it is at the same time tender and easy of digestion1 and when once its use is known and its character ascertained1 no species may be eaten with less fear4 ,it is so common in some districts that bushels may be gathered in a day4 ,,false ,,or ,,poison ,,champignon ,marasmius urens ,there are two other species of mushroom which might possibly be mistaken for the above by the casual eye1 but which are easily distinguishable on careful examination4 ,the first of these is the false ,champignon 7,plate #i1 fig4 #a74 ,the most important distinguishing features are italicized4 ,they will be seen to afford a striking contrast to the true edible species in these especial characters4 ,the pileus is pale buff1 convex1 central mound absent2 the cap varies from one-half to one and a half inches in diameter1 and is thus slightly smaller than the true fairy-ring2 gills1 yellowish brown1 narrow1 and crowded1 twenty-five or more to the inch at circumference in good specimen1 curving upward at junction with stem1 thus free from actual attachment2 stem1 solid1 clothed with whitish down1 especially noticeable at the base2 cup1 none2 taste1 acrid4 ,this last quality alone should distinguish the species1 which1 moreover1 usually grows in woods1 though occasionally found upon the lawn in association with the edible species4 ,illustration3 ,marasmius urens ,marasmius peronatus ,,plate ,,ix ,,poisonous ,,champignons ,marasmius urens ,pileus3 ,pale buff in color2 tough and fleshy2 flat convex1 becoming depressed and at length wrinkled2 one to two inches in diameter4 ,gills3 ,unequal1 cream colored1 becoming brownish2 much closer together than in the true ,champignon1 hardly reaching the stem proper4 ,stem3 ,solid2 fibrous2 pale1 its surface more or less covered with white1 flocculent down1 and densely clothed with white down at base4 ,taste3 ,acrid4 ,habitat3 ,lawns and pastures1 often in association with the edible ,m4 oreades4 ,marasmius peronatus ,pileus3 ,reddish buff2 convex slightly flattened at top1 becoming convex by expansion2 very wrinkled when old2 diameter1 at full expansion1 between one and two inches4 ,gills3 ,thin and crowded2 creamy1 becoming light reddish brown1 continuing slightly down stem by a short1 abrupt curve4 ,stem3 ,solid2 fibrous2 pale1 densely clothed with stiff yellow hairs at base4 ,taste3 ,acrid4 ,habitat3 ,in woods1 among dead leaves1 etc4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,ix ,,poisonous ,,champignons4 ,,marasmius ,,urens4 ,m4 ,,peronatus4 ,,poisonous ,,fairy-,,ring ,,mushroom ,marasmius peronatus ,the other false species 7,plate #i1 fig4 #b7 still more closely simulates the fairy-ring1 but may be identified by the growth of spines at the base of the stalk4 ,the gills are also annexed to the stalk by a small1 sharp1 recurved tooth4 ,like the previous spurious species1 it is found in woods1 and is rarely to be seen in association with the true ,champignon or in its peculiar haunt4 ,,the ,,pasture ,,mushroom ,agaricus 7,lepiota7 procerus ,sidenote3 ,description ,one of the most readily recognized of our wild mushrooms is the pasture or parasol ,agaric 7,agaricus procerus71 a cluster of which in various stages of development is shown in ,plate #aj4 ,it is frequently abundant in pasture-lands1 and is occasionally found in woods4 ,its conspicuous cap sometimes measures six inches or more in diameter1 the centre being abruptly raised in a mound4 ,the pileus is at first egg-shaped4 ,the color of the full specimen is pale-brown or buff1 more or less spotted with darker brown shaggy patches1 generally arranged in somewhat concentric order4 ,the skin of the cap is thick and somewhat tough1 especially in drying4 ,the gills are almost pure white in early specimens1 slightly creamy later1 and unequal in length4 ,stem1 often six or eight inches high1 proportionately slender1 and of equal diameter1 bulbous at base1 but without a cup1 hollow1 fibrous1 finely speckled or streaked with brown1 and deeply inserted in the cap1 at which juncture1 by a narrow flat space1 as shown in the section drawing below1 it is distinctly free from contact with the gills4 ,the remnants of the veil are in the form of a more or less detachable ring encircling the stem4 ,the spores are white and odorous4 ,the flavor1 when raw1 is distinctly nutty1 aromatic1 sweet1 and palatable2 when dry1 slightly pungent4 ,illustration ,sidenote3 ,simple recipe ,this species is cosmopolitan1 and is a great favorite on the ,continent--in ,france being known as the ,coulemelle1 in ,italy as ,bubbola maggiore1 and in ,spain as ,cogomelos4 ,it is by many considered as the choicest of all mushrooms1 and is indeed a delicious morsel when quickly broiled over coals1 seasoned to taste with salt and pepper and butter melted in the gills1 and served hot on buttered toast4 ,other recipes are noted in a later chapter4 ,the scurfy spots and stems should be removed before cooking4 ,illustration3 ,agaricus procerus ,,plate ,x ,,the ,,pasture ,,mushroom ,agaricus procerus ,pileus3 ,at first egg-shaped1 finally expanded like a parasol four to seven inches in diameter1 the apex raised in a prominent mound or umbo4 ,color pale buff or creamy1 occasionally almost pure white1 more or less regularly spotted with the brown shaggy patches of the separating epidermis1 which remains of the pale brown color on the umbo4 ,skin thick and somewhat tough2 substance hygrometric1 drying and swelling naturally in its haunts4 ,gills3 ,unequal in length2 crowded2 at first almost white1 finally becoming creamy or pale buff4 ,stem3 ,tall1 slender1 equal1 hollow1 and fibrous2 bulbous at base1 but with no sign of a cup2 separated from the gills above by a distinct space2 surface streaked and speckled with brown1 encircled by a loose ring4 ,spores3 ,white1 and1 like the whole plant1 fragrant aromatic--more so1 perhaps1 than any other fungus4 ,taste3 ,distinctly sweet and nutty1 slightly pungent when dry4 ,habitat3 ,pastures and fields1 occasionally woods4 ,season3 ,summer4 ,,plate ,x ,illustration3 ,agaricus ,procerus4 ,sidenote3 ,hygrometric properties ,this species is especially free from the swarming grubs too commonly found in mushrooms4 ,it is highly hygrometric1 dries naturally even while standing in the pasture1 in which condition it is decidedly aromatic in fragrance and nutty sweet to the taste1 as described4 ,indeed1 it is sometimes called the nut mushroom4 ,absorbing moisture from the dews and rains1 it again becomes pulpy and enlarged1 thus alternating for days between its juicy and dry condition1 in which latter state it may be gathered and kept for winter use4 ,it is a palatable morsel at all times1 but especially in the prime of its first expansion1 each successive alternation1 with its gradual loss of spores1 affecting its full flavor4 ,,the ,,russula ,,group ,sidenote3 ,generic characters ,among the wild species of mushrooms which the novice might possibly mistake for the common mushroom of the markets--which is popularly supposed to be the only edible variety1 as distinguished from toadstools--is the ,russula group4 ,they are extremely frequent in our woods from spring to late autumn1 and have many features in common4 ,their caps vary in color from a gray-green1 suggesting cheese-mould1 to olive-red1 scarlet-red1 and purplish4 ,the gills are generally of the same length1 or practically so1 occasionally double-branched1 beginning at the stem and usually extending to the rim of the cap1 at which portion they are covered by the mere skin of the pileus1 a slightly fluted appearance being observable from above1 which indicates the location of the radiating lamin below 7,plate #ab1 fig4 #f74 ,the stem may be white or cream-colored1 or perhaps stained or mottled with the color of the cap4 ,sidenote3 ,principal species ,there are at least four of these edible ,russul that we are certain of meeting in our walks in the woods3 ,the green ,russula 7,r4 virescens71 with its mottled cap of mouldy or sage green2 the various-gilled ,russula 7,r4 heterophylla71 varying in the lengths of its gill plates2 the purple ,russula 7,r4 lepida71 whose cap varies from bright red to dull purple2 and the red ,russula 7,r4 alutacea71 which presents a variety of shades of red1 from bright to dull4 ,having once identified the ,russula as a group1 or the common characteristics of the genus1 we may take our pick from all of these delicious species for the table2 but we must avoid one other member of the genus1 also quite common1 and which frequently masquerades in the guise of some of the bright red varieties above mentioned4 ,this is the ,r4 emetica1 whose obnoxious qualities are indicated by its classical surname1 and which will be separately considered4 ,illustration3 ,,russula ,,virescens 7,showing mottled cap of occasional specimen1 and variations in gills4 #a even2 #b forked2 #c dimidiate47 ,,the ,,green ,,russula ,agaricus 7,russula7 virescens ,sidenote3 ,specific characters ,our first species1 the green ,russula1 is to be found throughout the summer in hard-wood groves1 and is apt to frequent the same immediate locality from year to year4 ,i know one such veritable mushroom bed in the woods near by1 where ,i am almost certain of my mess of ,russul almost any day in their season4 ,this species is shown in its various stages of development and also in section in ,plate #aa4 ,its substance is firm and solid creamy white4 ,the pileus1 at first almost hemispherical1 as it pushes its way through the earth1 at length becomes convex1 with a slight hollow at the centre1 and later ascends in a gentle slope from centre to rim4 ,its color is sage green1 or mouldy green1 usually quite unbroken in tint at centre1 but more or less disconnected into spots as it approaches the circumference by the gradual expansion of the cap1 the creamy undertint appearing like network between the separated patches of color4 ,the substance of the cap becomes gradually thinned towards the circumference1 where the mere cuticle connects the gills1 the position of these gills being observable from above in a faint fluting of the edge1 a peculiarity of all the ,russul4 ,the cuticle peels readily some distance from the edge1 leaving the projecting tips of the gills exposed in a row of comb-like teeth1 but usually adheres towards the centre of cap4 ,the gills1 with rare exceptions1 are all of the same length1 white or creamy in color1 firm and thick1 but very brittle1 easily broken into fragments by a rude touch1 a characteristic of all the group2 spores1 white4 ,the stem is short1 stout1 and solid1 and usually tapers towards the base4 ,there is no vestige of a cup or veil at any stage of growth4 ,a fine specimen of the green ,russula should measure five inches in diameter when fully open1 but three inches is probably the average size4 ,sidenote3 ,the noxious ,russul ,when once acquainted with the above as a type of the ,russula group1 noting the firm substance1 straight1 equal gills1 and their brittle texture2 the sweet1 nutty flavor common to all the edible species1 these become readily identified1 the noxious ,russul1 as in the brilliant pink or scarlet ,r4 emetica 7,plate #ac71 being acrid and peppery to the taste4 ,sidenote3 ,green ,russula often sufficient ,in an auspicious season and in a congenial habitat--usually an open wood with scant undergrowth and preferably raked clean of dead leaves--the green ,russula is often abundant4 ,familiarity even with this one species will often afford a sufficiency of fungus food during its season4 ,a lady amateur mycophagist of the writer's acquaintance1 whose home is located at the border of such a wood as is above described1 and who is especially fond of the green ,russula1 is never at a loss for this especially prized tidbit as a reward for her daily stroll among the trees4 ,a visitor may often see upon her buffet a small glass dish filled with the mushrooms1 nicely scraped and cut in pieces--an ever-present relish between meals4 ,for even in their natural state1 as she discriminatingly says1 they are as sweet as chestnuts4 ,this is especially the case with the buttons or younger specimens4 ,illustration3 ,russula virescens ,,plate ,,xi ,,the ,,green ,,russula ,russula virescens ,pileus3 ,very firm2 solid1 dull1 dry-surfaced1 as with a fine flock2 mouldy green or creamy1 with sage-greenish broken spots more united at centre2 occasionally entirely green1 with warty patches of darker hue4 ,at first globular1 then convex with flat top1 at length expanded and hollowed towards centre4 ,gills3 ,pale1 creamy white2 commonly all of equal length1 but frequently unequal and forked2 very brittle1 breaking in pieces at a rude touch4 ,stem3 ,solid2 creamy white2 no veil4 ,taste3 ,very mild1 sweet1 and nut-like4 ,habitat3 ,in woods--,july-,september4 ,diameter of pileus1 ideal specimen1 four inches4 ,,plate ,,xi ,illustration3 ,,russula ,,virescens4 ,,purple ,,russula ,russula lepida ,illustration3 ,,russula ,,lepida--,,contorted ,,and ,,cracked ,,pileus ,sidenote3 ,color of cap misleading ,sidenote3 ,specific characters ,this1 perhaps the most common species1 is figured in ,plate #ab1 fig4 #c4 ,it corresponds with the foregoing in size as well as in general shape1 firm texture1 and friable nature of the gills4 ,the pileus of this species frequently assumes eccentric shapes1 or is often cracked1 as seen in the accompanying cut4 ,its name of purple is probably local in its application1 as it is known also as the red ,russula1 neither of which titles is at all distinctive4 ,indeed1 the color of the cap is often a misleading character for identification1 as a given species may vary greatly in this particular4 ,this feature is thus generally omitted in purely scientific descriptions1 more dependence being placed upon the tint of the flesh and that of the spore surface1 the lamin or gills1 which are more permanent and reliable as a character4 ,thus1 in the present species1 ,r4 lepida1 the tint of the pileus or cap is often of a deep dull purplish red or ruddy wine color4 ,another authority describes it as violet-red and cherry-red or slightly tawny1 paler at circumference4 ,berkeley1 in his ,british ,fungi1 omits any reference to the color of the cap1 as evidently of little value in identification4 ,but from numerous examples gathered by the present writer1 the color may1 ,i think1 be safely averaged under the general hue of dark1 subdued red inclining to maroon4 ,the surface is dull1 as with a fine dust or plum-like bloom1 and thus without polish4 ,occasional specimens appear almost velvety in the sheen of surface4 ,but the tints of the flesh and the gills are always uniform1 the leaflets or gills being pure white or very slightly creamy1 continuous from stem to rim or occasionally forked1 not crowded1 curved in outline in open specimen1 with broadest width near the circumference of cap4 ,the flesh is white or slightly creamy1 firm and compact as in the former species1 with the same variations of outline from early stage to maturity4 ,the stem is white1 solid1 and generally more or less tinted or streaked vertically with rose or pale crimson 7,fig4 #h74 ,the taste of the flesh is sweet and appetizing4 ,illustration3 ,edible ,russul ,,plate ,,xii ,,edible ,,russul #a4 ,russula heterophylla--,variable ,russula ,pileus3 ,firm1 solid2 greenish or pinkish-gray2 at first convex1 with flat top1 ultimately rising from centre to rim4 ,gills3 ,milk-white2 extremely brittle1 like all the ,russul1 and easily crumbled 7see ,fig4 #g72 long1 short1 and forked intermixed4 ,fig4 #e4 ,stem3 ,milk-white2 solid4 ,taste3 ,mild and sweet4 #b4 ,russula alutacea--,yellow-gilled ,russula ,pileus3 ,firm1 solid2 shape as in above2 color very variable1 from bright to deep red2 cuticle thin at rim1 where the lines of junction of gills are readily discernible from above by the depressed channels4 ,fig4 #f4 ,gills3 ,equal1 brittle1 broad2 yellow-buff color in all stages4 ,fig4 #d4 ,stem3 ,solid2 milk-white1 commonly stained or streaked with red towards the base4 ,taste3 ,sweet and nut-like4 #c4 ,russula lepida--,purple ,russula ,pileus3 ,in shape like above1 varying in color from bright red to dull1 subdued purplish1 with a distinct bloom4 ,gills3 ,white1 broad1 principally even1 occasionally forked as in ,fig4 #a2 like the above1 extremely brittle4 ,fig4 #g4 ,stem3 ,solid2 white1 usually stained and streaked with pink4 ,fig4 #h4 ,taste3 ,sweet1 and similar to above4 ,average diameter of extended pileus of each of these species about three and one-half inches2 veil absent in each4 ,habitat3 ,all grow in woods--,july-,september4 ,,plate ,,xii ,illustration3 ,,edible ,,russul4 ,,russula ,,heterophylla4 ,r4 ,,alutacea4 ,r4 ,,lepida4 ,,yellow-,,gilled ,,russula ,russula alutacea ,sidenote3 ,botanical characters ,our third example of the ,russula is one which is also quite common in our woods1 and which might in the extreme variation of its color be confounded with the last by a careless observer1 as indeed both might be still further confounded with the poisonous member bearing the red tint1 and which will be hereafter considered4 ,the ,russula alutacea 7,pl4 #ab1 figs4 #b1 #d1 #f7 is a delicious species4 ,in general size and contour it resembles the foregoing4 ,the color of the cap varies from bright-red to blood-red or even approaching the purplish red of the preceding species1 lightening towards edge4 ,but we have a clear distinction in the color of the gills1 which are distinctly yellowish1 pale ochre1 or nankeen1 in all stages of the mushroom1 or even tawny in old specimens4 ,they are1 moreover1 usually all of even length1 being straight and continuous from stem to circumference of pileus1 none of them forked1 their juncture with the edge of the cap being clearly manifest from above by the thinness of the cuticle4 ,the flesh is white1 stem firm and solid1 white and smooth1 often tinted with pink or red4 ,the flesh of the cap often appears pinkish upon peeling the cuticle from the edge4 ,the taste resembles that of the previous species--sweet and nutty4 ,,various-,,gilled ,,russula ,russula heterophylla ,sidenote3 ,botanical characters ,growing in company with both of the above is frequently to be seen another species1 which is somewhat protean in its accomplishments of color1 but which in the character of its gills1 as implied in its scientific name1 gives us a ready means of identification--heterophylla--various-le aved 7,pl4 #ab1 figs4 #a and #e74 ,in the previous examples of ,russul the gills have been commonly straight1 continuous from stem to edge of cap1 or more rarely forked and continuous in the bifurcation4 ,in the present species we have both of these conditions1 combined also with what are called dimidiate gills1 or shorter leaflets1 which reach1 perhaps1 only half-way from rim to stem1 all crowded together and alternating4 ,the color of the cap is very variable--occasionally pinkish-ash color or dull pinkish-gray inclining to green or olive or even red4 ,its surface is smoother than in the foregoing species1 being almost polished1 and the pellicle of the cap is usually noticeably thinner4 ,having found such a specimen1 possessing also all the other attributes of shape1 firmness of flesh1 and dry brittleness of gills1 if tasted and found sweet in flavor it may be eaten without the slightest fear1 and like its congeners will be found a delicious morsel1 whether nibbled raw1 as the squirrels are so fond of doing1 or served hot on toast as an entre1 or otherwise prepared according to taste4 ,sidenote3 ,delicious broiled ,russula ,various methods prevail in the culinary preparation of the ,russula mushroom1 many of which are suggested among the receipts in another chapter1 but broiling is perhaps the most simple and generally satisfactory4 ,having thoroughly cleaned the top1 or1 if desired1 peeled the cuticle1 place the mushrooms on a gridiron over a hot fire1 gills downward1 for a few moments1 sufficient to allow them to be heated through without scorching4 ,then reverse them and repeat the process1 melting a small piece of butter in the gills and salting and peppering to taste2 serve hot on toast or in the platter with roast beef or fowl4 ,they are also delicious fried in the ordinary way1 either with or without batter4 ,illustration3 ,,an ,,infested ,,specimen ,the ,russula is particularly in favor among the fungus-eating insects1 whose rapid development and voracity are consistently related to the ephemeral nature of their food4 ,a ,russula specimen showing barely a trace of insect life when gathered will sometimes prove literally honey-combed and totally unfit for food in the space of twenty-four hours4 ,it is therefore well to cut each specimen in sections before venturing upon its preparation for the table1 and to profit thereby according to our individual fastidiousness1 as suggested on page #cg4 ,while the above esculent species of ,russul are being familiarized by the tyro1 he must now be put on guard against a certain dangerous species of the group1 which is sure to claim his attention1 being especially fond of the good company of its cousins1 and likely to do some mischief through its frequent disguise4 ,,poisonous ,,or ,,emetic ,,mushroom ,russula emetica ,sidenote3 ,the poisonous ,russula ,sidenote3 ,a warning tang ,the variability in the coloring of the three edible species already described brings them occasionally into such close similarity with the gamut of color of the one common poisonous species of the group that this enemy must also be familiarized ere we venture too confidently upon our ,russula diet4 ,the ,russula emetica 7,plate #ac71 as its name implies1 is at war with luxurious gastronomy1 but its distinction from the harmless varieties is1 after all1 quite simple4 ,its frequent general similarity to ,r4 lepida and ,r4 alutacea is such that the amateur should hardly rely upon the botanical characters alone4 ,there is but one safe1 as it is a simple1 rule for him3 ,he should taste every specimen of his ,russula of whatever kind before venturing upon its use as food4 ,all of the sweet and palatable ,russul are esculent4 ,when he chances upon the ,r4 emetica he will be aware of its important demoralizing resources in the peppery-hot tingle of his tongue1 which1 if not instantly perceived1 will within the space of a minute assert itself distinctly4 ,all such acrid specimens should be excluded1 as a single one would be sufficient to bring an ignominious denouement to an otherwise delectable feast4 ,in the typical ,r4 emetica the pileus is a bright1 brilliant red--which1 as we have said1 is very variable1 as indicated in our plate--often polished and shining2 the gills broad1 equal1 straight1 continuous1 not crowded1 and white1 as is the flesh beneath the peeled cuticle4 ,the stem is white or pink4 ,the cap will average1 perhaps1 three inches in diameter1 though occasionally reaching the dimensions indicated by the marks in plate1 or even larger4 ,illustration3 ,russula emetica ,,plate ,,xiii ,,poisonous ,,or ,,emetic ,,mushroom ,russula emetica ,pileus3 ,expansion two to four inches2 color varying from pale bright pink to deep scarlet2 very smooth4 ,gills3 ,broad 7in section71 mostly equal in length1 and continuous from edge of cap to stem2 not crowded2 white4 ,stem3 ,white or pinkish4 ,spores3 ,white1 like all ,russul4 ,taste3 ,hot and peppery4 ,habitat3 ,woods1 with other ,russul4 ,season3 ,july-,september4 ,,note4--,while1 for conservative reasons1 the poisonous reputation of this species is here perpetuated1 it is quite probable that such condemnation is unwarranted1 except as to the raw mushroom4 ,the peppery tang and demoralizing powers are now claimed to be dissipated in cooking1 and the ,emetica will doubtless soon be more generally included with its congeners among the esculents1 thus bringing the entire genus ,russula into the friendly group4 ,captain ,charles ,mc,ilvaine is largely responsible for this conversion in favor of ,emetica4 ,his individual experiments warrant him in pronouncing this species as good as the rest when cooked4 ,others of the writer's acquaintance1 following his example1 echo his opinion4 ,,plate ,,xiii ,illustration3 ,,russula ,,emetica4 7,,poisonous7 ,,the ,,oyster ,,mushroom ,agaricus ostreatus ,what a mass of nutritious food do we occasionally pass in innocence or spurn with our foot upon the old stump or fallen log in the woods6--a neglected feast1 indeed1 if the specialists on edible fungi are to be believed2 a feast1 in truth1 for a big family1 if we chance upon even an average cluster of the vegetable oyster1 which is pictured in ,plate #ad4 ,sidenote3 ,a vegetable oyster ,i have commonly observed this species1 the ,agaricus ostreatus1 in the autumn1 and this is the season given for its appearance in ,europe by the authorities2 but according to certain ,american specialists1 notably ,charles ,mc,ilvaine1 it is common in our woods in spring1 even as early as ,march1 and through the summer4 ,it is usually found in large clusters1 similar to our illustration1 growing upon decaying stumps and the trunks of various trees4 ,the oyster is a gilled mushroom which grows sidewise from its position1 the stem being usually lateral and very short1 though occasionally quite prolonged1 the two varieties being indicated in the accompanying cut4 ,illustration3 ,,agaricus ,,ostreatus--,,variations ,,in ,,form ,the individual mushroom may be five or six inches in breadth1 a cluster affording several pounds in weight4 ,the color of the upper surface is light brown or buff1 varying to yellowish-ashen1 according to age1 and the gills are dirty white of various lengths2 spores white4 ,illustration3 ,agaricus ostreatus ,,plate ,,xiv ,,the ,,oyster ,,mushroom ,agaricus ostreatus ,pileus3 ,four to six inches in diameter2 smooth4 ,color1 dull1 light yellowish1 sometimes pale ochre or grayish4 ,gills3 ,dingy white2 of various lengths1 extending down the stem4 ,stem3 ,short or obsolete2 on the side of pileus4 ,spores3 ,white4 ,taste3 ,agreeable2 suggesting the flavor of the cooked oyster2 texture tough in older specimens4 ,odor3 ,pleasant4 ,habitat3 ,on old tree trunks and fallen logs1 occasionally in dense masses4 ,,plate ,,xiv ,illustration3 ,,agaricus ,,ostreatus4 ,this species and the one following belong to the subdivision of the typical genus ,agaricus1 called ,leucospori--white spored4 ,the division has many sub-genera4 ,the particular sub-genus in which these are included is the ,pleurotus1 or side-foot mushrooms1 as they are sometimes called4 ,another earlier species with which ,a4 ostreatus might be confounded 7,a4 euosmus7 has spores of a rosy pinkish or lilac hue1 a sufficient identification1 and is accounted injurious4 ,illustration3 ,,thirty ,,pounds ,,of ,,vegetable ,,meat ,the clustering growth of the ,oyster ,mushroom frequently attains huge proportions1 as will be seen from the above reproduction of a photograph sent to me by a correspondent4 ,the dimensions of the mass are easily judged by the height of the gun leaning against the tree1 and introduced for comparison4 ,sidenote3 ,broiled oyster recipe ,this ,oyster ,mushroom should be gathered in its young state1 and may be served in various ways4 ,broiling over the coals1 gills upward1 seasoning with butter1 pepper1 and salt during the cooking1 is a favorite method with most of the ,agarics1 but a well-known fungus epicure claims that this mushroom may be cooked in any way that an oyster is1 and will be found fine eating4 ,the average specimen will probably prove more ashen in hue than those represented in my plate4 ,,the ,,elm ,,mushroom ,agaricus ulmarius ,sidenote3 ,appetizing qualities ,this edible species of mushroom1 allied to the foregoing1 and which grows in similar clusters on the elm-tree1 is the ,agaricus ulmarius 7,plate #ae74 ,while much difference of opinion prevails regarding the appetizing qualities of this mushroom or its right to a place among the esculents1 this varying individual judgment has doubtless often had direct reference to the character of the particular specimen chosen for trial4 ,dr4 ,m4 ,c4 ,cooke is not disposed to place a high appreciation upon its qualities4 ,it has been customary1 he says1 to regard this and some of its allies presumably in allusion to the preceding as alimentary1 but there is no doubt that they could all be very well spared from the list4 ,opposed to this uncomplimentary aspersion is the testimony of other authorities who claim that it is most delectable and a delicious morsel4 ,certain it is that in its young and tender condition only is it fit for food1 as it becomes progressively tough in consistency towards maturity4 ,illustration3 ,agaricus ulmarius ,,plate ,,xv ,,the ,,elm ,,mushroom ,agaricus ulmarius ,pileus3 ,from three to five inches in diameter4 ,color1 pale yellow or buff2 smooth in young specimen1 fissured1 spotted1 and leathery at maturity4 ,flesh in section white4 ,gills3 ,dingy white1 becoming tawny at maturity1 extending down the stem4 ,stem3 ,various in length1 occasionally very short and attached to side of pileus2 generally longer as in ,plate1 and off centre2 white2 substance solid4 ,spores3 ,white4 ,taste3 ,suggesting fish when cooked4 ,odor3 ,pleasant4 ,habitat3 ,trunk of elm or from surfaces of broken or sawn branches4 ,often growing in dense masses covering several square feet4 ,,plate ,,xv ,illustration3 ,,agaricus ,,ulmarius4 ,sidenote3 ,massive growth ,as its specific name implies--,ulmus--this mushroom is devoted to the elm1 upon whose trunk and branches it may be often seen1 either singly1 which is rare1 or in great dense masses1 sometimes1 covering a space of several square feet1 often1 unfortunately1 at an inaccessible height from the ground4 ,i have in my possession a photograph which has been sent to me by an interested correspondent representing a dead tree trunk1 apparently a foot in diameter1 densely covered to a height of seven feet from the ground with a mass of the ,a4 ulmarius--and presumably representing thirty or forty pounds in weight4 ,this species is most frequently seen on apparently healthy branches1 or growing from the wood of a severed limb4 ,its season is late summer and autumn4 ,sidenote3 ,botanical characters ,a small cluster of these mushrooms is seen in ,plate #ae4 ,they afford a good refutation of the old-time discriminating ban1 which excluded all mushrooms which grow sidewise1 or upon wood4 ,the individual mushroom of this species is a horizontal grower1 sometimes with a barely noticeable or obsolete stem2 in other specimens this portion being quite distinct and an inch or more in length1 and firm and solid in texture4 ,the upper surface is pale yellow or buff1 smooth in the younger specimens1 becoming disfigured by spots and fissures with age4 ,the flesh is white1 as also are the gills1 though more dingy1 becoming tawny-tinted with maturity1 when the entire mushroom becomes quite leathery in substance1 and might well awaken doubts as to its digestibility4 ,the spores are white4 ,this fungus is known in some sections as the ,fish ,mushroom1 referring to its peculiar flavor1 the appropriateness of which appellation is suggested in the incident related by ,mr4 ,palmer1 and quoted in my last chapter4 ,,shaggy-,,mane ,,mushroom ,coprinus comatus ,sidenote3 ,a plebeian toadstool ,upon a certain spot on the lawn of one of my neighbors1 year after year1 without fail1 there springs up a most singular crop4 ,for the first two seasons of its appearance it was looked upon with curious awe by the proprietors of the premises1 and usually ignominiously spurned with the foot by the undiscriminating and destructive small boy4 ,one day ,i observed about five pounds of this fungus delicacy thus scattered piecemeal about the grass1 and my protest has since spared the annual crop for my sole benefit4 ,it usually makes its appearance in late ,september1 and continues in intermittent crops until ,november4 ,a casual observer happening upon a cluster of the young mushrooms might imagine that he beheld a convention of goose eggs standing on end in the grass1 their summits spotted with brown4 ,illustration3 ,coprinus comatus ,,plate ,,xvi ,,the ,,shaggy-,,mane ,,mushroom ,coprinus comatus ,pileus3 ,egg-shaped in young specimens2 at length more cylindrical1 and finally expanded1 melting away in inky fluid4 ,color1 creamy white1 becoming black at edge with advancing age1 as is also the case with the shaggy points upon its surface1 which generally cover the pileus4 ,gills3 ,crowded2 equal in length2 creamy white in young specimens1 becoming pink1 brown1 and finally black1 and always moist4 ,stem3 ,cylindrical2 creamy white2 hollow1 or with a loose cottony pith4 ,spores3 ,black1 falling away in drops4 ,taste3 ,sweet1 which applies only to the pink or white condition1 at which time alone the species is considered esculent4 ,habitat3 ,lawns1 pastures1 gardens1 and rich grounds in the neighborhood of barns1 etc42 usually grows in dense clusters4 ,diameter of cylindrical pileus in average specimens1 two inches4 ,one of the most easily identified of all mushrooms4 ,,plate ,,xvi ,illustration3 ,,coprinus ,,comatus4 ,sidenote3 ,inky deliquescence ,if one of them is examined1 it is seen to be a curious short-stemmed mushroom which never fully expands 7,plate #af71 perhaps five inches high1 and whose surface is curiously decorated with shaggy patches4 ,in its early stages it is white and singularly egglike1 but later becomes brownish1 its curved shaggy points finally changing to almost black4 ,the concealed gills are crowded and of equal length1 at first creamy white1 but gradually changing through a whole gamut of pinks1 sepias1 and browns until they become black1 at which time the whole substance of the cap melts on its elongated stalk--deliquesces into an unsightly inky paste1 which besmears the grass and ultimately leaves only the bare white stem standing in its midst1 a peculiar method of dissemination which distinguishes the group ,coprinus1 of which it is the most conspicuous example4 ,this is the shaggy-mane mushroom1 ,coprinus comatus1 the specific name signifying a wig--from the fancied resemblance to a wig on a barber's block4 ,even a brief description is unnecessary with its portrait before us4 ,it is a savory morsel1 and it cannot be confounded with any other fungus4 ,it frequently grows in such dense1 crowded masses that a single group will afford a dinner for a family4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,dinner ,,for ,a ,,family ,it should be gathered while the gills are in the early white or pink stage1 and may be prepared for the table in various ways1 either broiled or fried1 as described for previous species1 or stewed with milk1 or otherwise served according to the culinary hints in our later chapter1 in which a special recipe for this species is found4 ,in a recent stroll down the main street of ,litchfield1 ,connecticut1 ,i observed1 over the fence in a front door-yard of a summer resident1 just such a dense cluster of the shaggy ,coprinus1 the proprietor of the premises1 an appreciative habitu of ,delmonico's at other seasons of the year1 complacently reading his morning paper in his piazza1 little dreaming of the twenty pounds of dainty diet1 fit for a king1 so easily available4 ,illustration3 ,coprinus atramentarius ,,plate ,,xvii ,,the ,,inky ,,toadstool ,coprinus atramentarius ,pileus3 ,fleshy1 moist2 at first egg-shaped2 of a ,quaker-drab1 dirty white1 or even pale brownish color2 at length becoming expanded1 umbrella-like1 when it melts away in inky drops4 ,gills3 ,broad and crowded1 not adhering to stem at top2 creamy white in young species1 becoming pinkish gray1 and at length black4 ,stem3 ,firm2 white2 hollow4 ,spores3 ,black2 shed in liquid drops4 ,taste3 ,sweet1 as is also the odor1 which applies to its early stage only4 ,habitat3 ,about old decaying stumps and rotten wood1 gardens1 rich lawns1 and barn-yards2 usually growing in clusters1 often very dense4 ,diameter of pileus1 young state1 two inches4 ,,plate ,,xvii ,illustration3 ,,coprinus ,,atramentarius4 ,,inky ,,mushroom ,coprinus atramentarius ,sidenote3 ,botanical characters ,in frequent company with the foregoing will be found another allied species1 ,coprinus atramentarius 7,plate #ag71 with the same inky propensities1 which is scarcely less delicious as an article of food4 ,in this species the shaggy feature is absent1 there being merely a few obscure slightly raised stains at the summit1 of a brownish color4 ,the stem is white and hollow4 ,the surface of the pileus is smooth and of a ,quaker-drab color1 occasionally dirty-white1 or with a slight shade of ochre1 moist to the touch1 darkened by rubbing4 ,in the eatable stage the caps are drooping1 as shown in the cluster on the plate1 while the mature specimen expands considerably before its inky deliquescence4 ,its texture when young is firm1 and the thick gray cuticle peels readily1 leaving an appetizing nutty-flavored morsel1 delicious even when raw4 ,the inky ,agaric is frequent about barn-yards1 gardens1 and old stumps in woods1 and usually grows in such crowded masses that the central individuals are compressed into hexagonal shape4 ,like the previous variety1 it should be collected for food while its gills are in the white or pink stage4 ,cordier claims that all the species of ,coprinus are eatable at this stage4 ,the profusion in which they occasionally abound renders it often a simple matter to obtain a bushel of them in a few minutes4 ,sidenote3 ,coprinus ink ,like the foregoing1 a large cluster of these mushrooms leaves a most unsightly spot on the lawn4 ,a diluted solution of this melting substance1 as ,cooke assures us1 has been used to replenish the ink-bottle4 ,the resemblance is so complete that it may readily be employed as a substitute1 all that is required being to boil and strain it1 and add a small quantity of corrosive sublimate to prevent its turning mouldy4 ,it may also be employed as pigment4 ,it is1 indeed1 quite possible to paint the portrait of ,coprinus with its own dark sepia1 as the author has personally demonstrated4 7,see head-piece to ,illustrations47 ,,milky ,,mushroom ,lactarius deliciosus ,sidenote3 ,orange-milk ,agaric ,prominent among the fungi which give unmistakable characters for their identification is the genus ,lactarius1 or milky mushrooms1 another group of the agarics or gilled fungi1 from which we will select for our first example the ,lactarius deliciosus1 or orange-milk ,agaric 7,plate #ah74 ,the figure will itself almost serve to identify it in its advanced open stage4 ,having found a specimen resembling our illustration1 and anywhere from three to five inches in expanse1 its general upper surface dull reddish-orange in color1 more or less plainly banded with darker red1 it is safe to predict that when its surface or gills are broken an exudation of milky juice will follow4 ,if this exudation is orange or deep yellow in hue1 gradually turning greenish on exposure1 the identification is complete1 and we have the orange-milk ,l4 deliciosus1 of which an authority says1 ,it really deserves its name1 being the most delicious mushroom known4 ,w4 ,g4 ,smith goes still further in its praise1 assuring us that when cooked with taste and care it is one of the greatest delicacies of the vegetable kingdom4 ,the taste of this species when raw is slightly acrid1 but this quality disappears in the cooking4 ,illustration3 ,lactarius deliciosus ,,plate ,,xviii ,,the ,,orange-,,milk ,,mushroom ,lactarius deliciosus ,pileus3 ,diameter three to five inches4 ,color varying from yellow to dull orange1 or even brownish yellow with mottled zones of deeper color1 especially in younger plants2 outline at first convex1 ultimately somewhat funnel-shaped2 surface usually smooth and moist4 ,flesh3 ,brittle2 creamy1 more or less stained with orange4 ,gills3 ,orange2 generally clearer in hue than the pileus2 when bruised1 exuding a copious milky juice of orange color1 becoming greenish in drying4 ,stem3 ,paler than pileus2 hollow2 occasionally spotted with orange or greenish stains from bruises4 ,spores3 ,white4 ,taste3 ,slightly peppery4 ,habitat3 ,woods1 pine-groves1 and swamps4 ,season3 ,july-,september4 ,,plate ,,xviii ,illustration3 ,,lactarius ,,deliciosus4 ,sidenote3 ,mild white-milk species ,one other species of ,lactarius1 ,l4 volemum1 may properly find a place in this work as being easily recognized4 ,in general shape it resembles ,l4 deliciosus4 ,the top is of a rich sienna golden hue2 the gills are crowded4 ,the milk is white as it first falls from the fracture1 becoming dull dark-reddish1 and having a mild1 pleasant taste2 gills white1 at length yellowish or buff-colored4 ,this species is esculent4 ,sidenote3 ,peppery white-milk species ,other species are accounted edible1 even one--the peppery ,lactarius1 ,l4 piperatus--a pure-white variety1 whose copious exudations of white milk will almost blister the lips1 an acrid property which is claimed by ,curtis1 ,smith1 and others to be dispelled in cooking1 by which treatment it becomes delicious and wholesome4 ,this species may reach a diameter of seven inches1 its shape at first rounded1 convex1 then flat1 concave1 and finally funnel-shaped1 as in many of the species4 ,but its decidedly ardent tang in the raw state1 as reminiscent from my own experience1 warns me not to dwell too enthusiastically upon its merits in my limited selection of desirable esculent species4 ,,the ,,chantarelle ,cantharellus cibarius ,bearing somewhat the shape of the ,lactarius1 but having its own distinguishing features1 is the ,chantarelle 7,plate #ai74 ,sidenote3 ,fluted gills ,the ,agarics1 as already described on page #gi1 are distinguished by the feature of the gills1 or thin laminated curtains--the hymenium--upon which the spores are produced1 and from which they are shed beneath the mushroom4 ,these gills vary in thickness and number in the various species1 and in one genus are so short1 thick1 swollen1 and branched as to give rather the effect of turgid veins than gills1 as shown in the accompanying sectional drawing4 ,we occasionally come upon one of these mushrooms in our walks1 usually in the woods4 ,when it first appears the cap is rounded1 and the rim folded inward towards the stem2 but in mature specimens it assumes the flat or1 later1 the cup-shaped form shown in ,plate #ai4 ,illustration3 ,,section ,,of ,,chantarelle ,illustration3 ,cantharellus cibarius ,,plate ,,xix ,,the ,,chantarelle ,cantharellus cibarius ,pileus3 ,at first convex1 later flat2 three to five inches in diameter1 with central hollow1 and finally almost funnel form4 ,color1 bright to deep yellow above and below4 ,gills3 ,shallow and fluted1 resembling swollen veins1 branched1 more or less interconnected and tapering off down the stem2 color same as pileus4 ,stem3 ,solid1 generally 7often slightly7 tapering towards base2 paler than pileus or gills4 ,spores3 ,very pale yellow ochre in color2 elliptical4 ,taste3 ,peppery and pungent in the raw state2 mild and sweet after cooking4 ,odor3 ,suggesting ripe apricots or plums4 ,habitat3 ,in woods1 especially hemlocks1 generally in clusters of two or three1 or in lines or arcs of several individuals4 ,,plate ,,xix ,illustration3 ,,cantharellus ,,cibarius4 ,sidenote3 ,botanical characters ,a fungus thus formed is a ,chantarelle1 or ,cantharellus1 and is readily identified4 ,any specimen having these features1 and which possesses in addition a fine1 rich yellow color1 is the ,c4 cibarius of our plate1 the esculent morsel so highly prized by epicures on the ,continent1 where to many--perhaps somewhat indiscriminating--gastronomists it forms one of the greatest delicacies among the entire list of edible fungi4 ,the diameter of the mature specimen may reach five inches1 though three inches will be nearer the average size4 ,the cap is frequently quite eccentric in its form1 wavy-edged1 or even folded upon itself in occasional individuals2 but the pure1 deep yellow color suggesting the yolk of an egg1 and the swollen1 vein-like hymenium1 generally of a similar color1 will be sufficient to distinguish it under any disguise of mere form4 ,another unique characteristic is its odor1 which suggests ripe apricots or plums4 ,the taste of the ,chantarelle when raw is pungent and peppery1 but this quality disappears in cooking4 ,the spores are of a pale yellow-ochre color1 and beneath the microscope are elliptical in shape4 ,sidenote3 ,stewed ,chantarelle ,from the last of ,may until early ,november the ,chantarelle may be found in our woods1 with more or less frequency1 singly or in clusters4 ,according to ,dr4 ,badham1 an eminent authority on esculent fungi1 the best ways of dressing the ,chantarelle are to stew or mince it by itself1 or to combine it with meat or with other fungi4 ,it requires long and gentle stewing to make it tender1 but by soaking it in milk the night before1 less cooking will be requisite4 ,but the recipes employed in ,great ,britain and upon the ,continent to the glory of the ,chantarelle would almost fill a fair-sized receipt book1 and some of them are quite elaborate4 ,a few of these are given in a later chapter4 ,after a trial of a number of them the writer is assured that the simple broiling or frying in butter or oil1 with proper seasoning1 and serving on toast1 will prove a most acceptable substitute4 ,sidenote3 ,another species ,another species of ,chantarelle1 which might possibly be confounded with the ,c4 cibarius1 is the ,orange ,chantarelle1 ,c4 aurantiacus1 which is pronounced scarcely esculent by the authorities4 ,its average size is much smaller than the true ,chantarelle1 and its much deeper orange hue1 and straighter1 more regularly branched and crowded gills1 will readily identify it1 the gills of cibarius being thicker1 and usually somewhat eccentric and netted4 ,like the foregoing1 it assumes the funnel form with age1 as indicated in the generic name1 ,cantharellus--a diminutive drinking-cup4 ,illustration ,illustration3 ,polyporei or ,tube-bearing ,fungi ,polyporei ,sidenote3 ,works by ,prof4 ,peck ,the previous examples of mushrooms have all been included in the order of the ,agarics1 or gill-bearing fungi1 the under spore-bearing surface of the cap having been disposed in the form of lamin or gills4 ,we will now pass to the consideration of a class of mushrooms certain of which enjoy a wider reputation as toadstools than any other species1 a new botanical order of fungi--the ,polyporei--in which the gills are replaced by pores or tubes--polyporus 7many pores74 ,conspicuous among the ,polyporei are those great shelf-like woody growths so frequently to be seen on the trunks of trees1 and popularly known as punk1 tinder1 and touch-wood1 and many of which increase in size year by year by accession of growth at the rim4 ,a few of these lateral-stemmed species are edible during their young state1 one or two of which are included in my subsequent pages4 ,but the most notable group from the standpoint of esculence is the typical genus ,boletus1 containing a large number of species1 and of which ,plate #bj presents a conspicuous example4 ,especial attention should here be called to the notable monograph on the ,boleti of the ,united ,states by ,state ,botanist ,professor ,charles ,peck1 of ,albany ,university1 ,new ,york1 which presents detailed descriptions of one hundred and eight indigenous species4 ,other contributions to mycological literature by this distinguished ,american authority are noted in my bibliographical list at the close of the volume4 ,,the ,,boleti ,tube mushrooms ,the structure of these mushrooms is clearly shown in ,plate #ch1 in my chapter on ,spore-prints1 the hymenium being here spread upon the honey-combed pore surfaces1 and shedding its spores from the tubes4 ,each of these tubes is distinct and may be separated from the mass4 ,the ideal form as shown in ,plate #bj is perfectly symmetrical1 in which condition the pores would naturally be perpendicular4 ,but this perfection seldom prevails1 and we continually find the specimens more or less eccentric in shape1 especially where they are crowded or have met with obstruction in growth4 ,but in any case1 no matter what the angle or distortion of growth during development1 the tubes are always adjusted to the perpendicular1 or in malformed individuals as nearly so as the conditions will permit1 as shown in the section on next page4 ,the ,boleti are in general a salubrious group4 ,certain species have long been accredited as being poisonous1 and others excluded from the feast as suspicious4 ,the early authorities caution us to avoid all ,boleti having any shade of red on the spore-bearing surface beneath1 even as it was originally claimed that all red-capped toadstools were poisonous4 ,but from the writer's own individual experiments1 reinforced by the experience of others1 he is beginning to be persuaded that the ,boletus as a genus has been maligned4 ,many species accredited as poisonous he has eaten repeatedly without the slightest deleterious consequences1 including the crimson ,boletus1 ,b4 alveolatus 7,plate #bd1 fig4 #b71 with its red spore surface1 and the ,b4 subtomentosus 7,plate #bb1 fig4 #a71 whose yellowish flesh1 like the species just mentioned1 changes quickly to blue upon fracture1 a chemical feature which has long stamped both species as dangerous4 ,illustration3 ,,section ,,of ,,boletus ,,showing ,,perpendicular ,,tubes ,sidenote3 ,maligned species ,it is interesting to note that the ban is gradually being lifted from the ,boleti by mycophagists of distinction1 largely through their own experiments4 ,thus ,i note that ,mr4 ,mc,ilvaine1 who has made a close study of esculent fungi1 in a recent article claims that all the ,boleti are harmless1 though some are too bitter to eat2 and ,mr4 ,palmer1 in his admirable portfolio of esculent fungi1 includes among his edible species one of those whose flesh changes color on fracture1 and which has hitherto been proscribed as off color4 ,of course1 this food selection would obviously apply only to species of inviting attributes1 possessing pleasant odor1 agreeable taste1 and delicate fibre4 ,the selection comprised in this volume is confined to a few varieties of established good repute4 ,as to the rest--if only on the consideration of idiosyncrasy--it is wiser to urge extreme caution on the lines laid down on page #cd4 ,sidenote3 ,changes of form in growth ,the ,boletus1 like all other mushrooms1 passes through a variety of forms from its birth to maturity1 at first being almost round1 then convex1 with the spore surface nearly flat1 horizontal1 the profile outline finally almost equally cushion-like on both upper and lower surfaces1 or the upper surface absolutely flat4 ,mere outline drawings of a number of ,boleti would be almost identical4 ,the form alone1 therefore1 is of minor importance in their identification4 ,among those more readily recognized by their color and structural features1 may be classed the following common species3 ,illustration3 ,boletus edulis ,,plate ,,xx ,,edible ,,boletus ,boletus edulis ,pileus3 ,cushion-like2 moist2 variable in color1 light brown to darker brownish red2 surface smooth but dull2 dimensions at full expansion1 three to six or eight inches4 ,tube surface 7,a--magnified73 ,whitish in very young specimens1 at length becoming yellow and yellowish green4 ,pore openings1 angled4 ,spores3 ,ochre-colored4 ,stem3 ,stout2 often disproportionately elongated4 ,pale brown1 generally with a fine raised network of pink lines near junction of cap4 ,flesh3 ,white or yellowish1 not changing color on fracture4 ,taste3 ,agreeable and nutty1 especially when young4 ,habitat3 ,woods1 especially during ,july and ,august2 common4 ,,plate ,,xx ,illustration3 ,,boletus ,,edulis4 ,,edible ,,tube ,,mushroom ,boletus edulis ,sidenote3 ,a famous delicacy ,the most prominent member of the ,boleti is the typical species whose portrait ,i have given on ,plate #bj1 in vain calling himself 'edulis1' where there were none to believe him4 ,but in spite of this remark of ,dr4 ,badham1 which had reference especially to his native country1 ,england1 this fungus had long been a favorite article of food among a large class of the more lowly ,europeans1 to say nothing of the luxurious epicures of the continent4 ,boletus edulis is to be found singly or in groups1 usually in the woods4 ,its average diameter is perhaps four or five inches1 though specimens are occasionally found of double these dimensions4 ,a letter to the writer from a correspondent in the ,rocky ,mountains describes specimens measuring fifteen inches in diameter having been found there4 ,sidenote3 ,specific characters ,the cushion-like cap is more or less convex1 according to age1 of a soft brownish or drab color somewhat resembling kid1 and with velvety softness to the touch4 ,the under surface or hymenium is thickly beset1 honey-combed with minute vertical pores1 which will leave a pretty account of themselves upon a piece of white paper laid beneath them and protected from the least draught1 a process by which we may always obtain a deposit of the ochre-tinted spores1 as is further described in a later chapter4 ,in ,boletus edulis this pore surface is white in young specimens1 later yellow1 finally becoming bright olive-green2 flesh white or creamy1 unchangeable on fracture4 ,stem paler than cap1 thick1 swollen at base1 often malformed and elongated1 especially when from a cluster1 generally more or less covered with vertical raised ridges1 which become somewhat netted together and pinkish as they approach the cap4 ,the taste is sweet1 and in the very young specimen1 which is brittle1 quite suggestive of raw chestnut4 ,sidenote3 ,insects and decay ,any ,boletus answering this description may be eaten without fear1 assuming1 of course1 that its substance is free from any taint of dissolution and traces of insect contamination4 ,both of these conditions are too apt to prevail in the mature specimens1 and all ,boleti are more safely employed for food in their young crisp stage1 or at least before their full expansion4 ,in their maturity1 moreover1 they often prove too mucilaginous in consistency to be pleasant to the average partaker1 especially the novice4 ,sidenote3 ,preparation for table ,in preparing them for the table1 all that is necessary is to cut off the stems1 which are apt to be tough and fibrous1 and to wipe the pellicle of the cap perfectly clean1 or1 if preferred1 to pare the pileus with a very sharp knife4 ,it is recommended by some that the entire mass of the pore section be removed4 ,in a mature specimen this would reduce the bulk of the mushroom by half1 and1 moreover1 deprive the remainder of the full flavor of the fungus4 ,i have not found it necessary1 and it is certainly needless in a young and tender specimen4 ,illustration3 ,boletus scaber ,,plate ,,xxi ,,rough-,,stemmed ,,boletus ,boletus scaber ,pileus3 ,rounded convex2 diameter two to five inches2 surface occasionally smooth and viscid when moist2 color usually brownish red1 but varying from orange brick red or even black in certain varieties to yellow or whitish4 ,tube surface3 ,rounded1 cushion-like2 whitish at first1 becoming dingy2 tube openings small and round1 and rather long as seen in section4 ,spores3 ,reddish brown4 ,stem3 ,solid1 dingy white1 tapering slightly above1 more or less thickly beset with brownish1 fibrous1 dot-like scales1 this being the most pronounced botanical character for identification4 ,flesh3 ,white or dingy in certain varieties1 often changing to blue1 brown1 pinkish1 or black where wounded4 ,taste3 ,negatively pleasant4 ,habitat3 ,a common and widely distributed species1 with many variations of color4 ,found in woods and shaded waste-places4 ,season3 ,july-,october4 ,,plate ,,xxi ,illustration3 ,,boletus ,,scaber4 ,,rough-,,stemmed ,,boletus ,boletus scaber ,this is a very common mushroom in our woods all through the summer and autumn1 in reasonably moist weather4 ,it is figured in ,plate #ba4 ,the cap of an average specimen expands four inches or more1 is of a brown or brownish buff color1 and viscid when moist4 ,the pore-surface is dingy white1 the tube orifices being quite minute and round--not so conspicuously angular or honey-combed as in other species--and with occasional reddish stains1 presumably a deposit from the floating spores1 which are tawny reddish4 ,the flesh is dirty white1 the stem solid1 contracting upwards1 and rough with fibrous brownish scaly points--whence the name scaber--often arranged somewhat in vertical lines4 ,epicures fail to agree as to the esculent qualities of this mushroom4 ,it is certainly inferior to the edulis4 ,,the ,,yellow-,,cracked ,,boletus ,boletus subtomentosus ,sidenote3 ,specific qualities ,the general contour of the present species--,b4 subtomentosus 7,plate #bb1 fig4 #a7--resembles the foregoing1 but it is easily distinguished by the color of its cap and tube surface1 the pileus being usually olive1 olive-brown1 or red of various shades2 the color1 however1 does not extend to the flesh beneath the peeled cuticle1 as in ,b4 chrysenteron1 ,fig4 #b4 ,the surface is soft and dry--subtomentous--to the touch4 ,cracks in the cap become yellow1 on which account this species is called the yellow-cracked ,boletus1 in contradistinction to the red-cracked ,b4 chrysenteron4 ,its most important distinction1 however1 is of a chemical nature4 ,sidenote3 ,the blue stain ,the stem is stout1 unequal1 firm1 yellowish1 and more or less ribbed1 occasionally tinted1 minutely dotted1 or faintly striped with the color of the cap4 ,the taste of the flesh is sweet and agreeable4 ,palmer compares it to the flavor of walnuts4 ,the tube surface is yellow or yellowish green1 and the tubes and yellowish flesh of cap and stem turn a rich peacock-blue immediately on fracture1 becoming deeper moment by moment until the entire exposed portion becomes leaden--especially noticeable in mature specimens4 ,the pore surface shows a similar blue stain whenever bruised4 ,the tubes are angular-sided instead of round1 and much larger than in the ,b4 edulis2 spores ochre colored4 ,sidenote3 ,an unwarranted stigma ,this blue stain was formerly1 and is even now1 deemed sufficient with many mycophagists to place this mushroom on the black-list1 but is believed by ,mr4 ,palmer and ,mr4 ,mc,ilvaine to be unwarranted as a stigma1 assuming that fresh specimens are employed4 ,the ,b4 subtomentosus is also among the eleven edible ,boleti in the list of ,dr4 ,curtis1 given on a previous page1 and the present author has habitually eaten the species with enjoyment and without unpleasant results4 ,fresh young specimens with the least change of color would perhaps be the wiser choice for the novice4 ,illustration3 ,boletus subtomentosus ,boletus chrysenteron ,,plate ,,xxii ,,yellow ,,cracked ,,boletus #a4 ,boletus subtomentosus ,pileus3 ,diameter three to six inches4 ,color1 varying in different individuals1 yellowish brown1 olive1 or subdued tan color2 epidermis soft and dry1 with a fine pubescence4 ,cracks in surface become yellow4 ,flesh3 ,creamy white in mature specimens1 changing to blue1 and at length leaden on fracture4 ,tube surface3 ,yellow or yellowish green1 becoming bluish when bruised2 opening of tubes large and angled4 ,stem3 ,stout2 yellowish2 minutely roughened with scurfy dots1 or faintly striped with brown4 ,spores3 ,brownish ochre4 ,taste3 ,sweet and agreeable4 ,habitat3 ,woods4 ,season3 ,summer and autumn4 ,,golden-,,flesh ,,boletus #b4 ,boletus chrysenteron ,pileus3 ,diameter two to four inches2 convex1 becoming more flattened2 soft to the touch1 varying from light yellowish brown to bright brick red2 more or less fissured with red cracks and clincks4 ,flesh3 ,rich1 bright yellow1 red immediately beneath the cuticle4 ,tube surface3 ,olive-yellow1 becoming bluish where bruised2 tube openings rather large1 angled1 and unequal in size4 ,stem3 ,generally stout and straight2 yellowish1 and more or less streaked or spotted with the color of the cap4 ,spores3 ,light brown4 ,habitat3 ,woods and copses4 ,season3 ,summer and autumn4 ,,plate ,,xxii ,illustration3 ,,boletus ,,subtomentosus4 ,b4 ,,chrysenteron4 ,sidenote3 ,caution advisable ,another species having this peculiar property of turning blue even in a more marked degree1 and named1 in consequence1 the ,b4 cyanescens1 though always heretofore considered poisonous1 is now pronounced by certain prominent mycophagists to be not only harmless but esculent4 ,it is still advisable1 however1 to caution moderation in its use as food1 if only on the ground of idiosyncrasy4 ,the spores of this species are white1 which1 with the more minute tube openings1 form a sufficient discrimination from subtomentosus4 ,the spores should be obtained by a deposit on black or dark-colored paper4 ,the flesh is white also4 ,other blue-stain species1 such as ,b4 alveolatus 7,plate #bd71 are still considered with suspicion1 presumably groundless4 ,,yellow-,,fleshed ,,boletus ,boletus chrysenteron ,among the toadstools which tradition would surely brand as poisonous on account of bright color is the common species whose name heads this paragraph1 and which is illustrated in ,plate #bb1 fig4 #b4 ,in its various shapes it suggests the preceding varieties4 ,its cap1 however1 is brownish red1 often bright brick red4 ,flesh almost lemon-yellow1 stained red just beneath the cuticle1 and not noticeably changeable on fracture4 ,tube surface yellowish green1 turning blue or bluish green when bruised4 ,spores light brown4 ,tubes rather large1 angular1 and unequal in shape of aperture4 ,stem yellow1 often brightly colored with the red of the cap4 ,chance cracks in its surface become red1 whence the common name of the ,red-cracked ,boletus4 ,a species frequent in woods throughout the summer and autumn1 and edible4 ,in its brightly colored cap it might possibly be superficially confounded with the suspicious ,boletus alveolatus of ,plate #bd4 ,but the latter species is easily distinguished by its rose-colored spores and red pore surface4 ,,cone-,,like ,,boletus ,strobilomyces strobilaceus ,sidenote3 ,botanical characters ,another allied species1 not especially famous for its esculent qualities1 but which is1 nevertheless1 not to be despised1 is here introduced on account of its especially pronounced character 7,plate #bc7--the cone-like ,boletus1 or1 more properly1 ,strobilomyces4 ,it is of a brownish gray color1 its shaggy surface more or less studded with deep brown or black woolly points1 each at the centre of a scale-like segment4 ,the tubes beneath are covered by the veil in the younger specimens1 but this at length breaks1 leaving ragged fragments hanging from the rim of the pileus4 ,the pore surface thus exposed is at first a grayish white1 ultimately becoming brown4 ,the substance of the fungus turns red when broken or cut4 ,this very striking mushroom is found in woods1 especially under evergreens4 ,it frequently attains a diameter of four inches4 ,its spores are a deep brown1 and a specimen selected at the stage when the under surface is flat will yield a most beautiful spore print if laid upon white paper and protected from the atmosphere1 as described in a later chapter4 ,illustration3 ,strobilomyces strobilaceus ,,plate ,,xxiii ,,the ,,cone-,,like ,,boletus ,strobilomyces strobilaceus ,pileus3 ,from two to four inches in diameter1 covered with a soft gray wool drawn into regular cone-like points tipped with dark brown4 ,flesh grayish white1 turning red when bruised4 ,pore surface3 ,grayish white in young specimen1 and then usually covered with the veil2 dark brown or almost black at maturity4 ,plate #ch shows a spore-print of this species4 ,spores3 ,very dark brown4 ,taste3 ,negatively pleasant4 ,odor3 ,sweet and mild4 ,habitat3 ,woods2 singly or in small clusters4 ,,plate ,,xxiii ,illustration3 ,,strobilomyces ,,strobilaceus4 ,sidenote3 ,black spore-prints ,a reproduction of one of these prints is shown in ,plate #ch1 the white reticulation representing the contact of the tube orifices with the paper1 each tube depositing its dot composed of spores1 the depth of color increasing in proportion to the time involved in the deposit4 ,a single mushroom will yield a half-dozen or more prints4 ,this fungus dries readily1 and may be kept indefinitely4 ,,suspicious ,,boleti ,boletus felleus--,b4 alveolatus ,sidenote3 ,maligned species ,sidenote3 ,a daring pioneer mycophagist ,in ,plate #bd are shown two examples of the ,boleti which have commonly been accounted poisonous--,b4 felleus and ,b4 alveolatus--and1 in the absence of absolutely satisfactory assurance to the contrary1 it is safer from our present point of view to consider them still as suspicious and to give them a wide berth4 ,there can be no doubt but that the popular condemnation of the ,boleti has been altogether too sweeping4 ,the gradual accession of many questionable species to the edible list of ,messrs4 ,mc,ilvaine and ,palmer and other daring mycophagists is a sufficient attestation of this fact4 ,thus subtomentosus and cyanescens1 already described1 always heretofore branded as reprobates1 are now redeemed from obloquy1 and even the universal ill-repute of the ,b4 satanas1 with its pale pileus and blood-red pores1 has not frightened the indefatigable ,captain ,mc,ilvaine from a personal challenge and encounter with this lurid specimen1 with the result that the formidable ,satanas has proved anything but deserving of its name--not half so lurid as it has been painted2 indeed1 it has been even pronounced the best of them all4 ,of course there's no telling to what extent the considerations of contrast1 through surprise and the consequent demoralization on the contingents of the personal equation1 may have influenced the captain's discrimination1 but it certainly would appear1 to put it negatively1 that even the ill-favored world-renowned ,b4 satanas has apparently been freed from aspersion as an enemy of mankind4 ,but it is well for the amateur to avoid these notorious species absolutely until their edibility becomes universally accepted by the professionals4 ,sidenote3 ,the bitter ,boletus ,the ,boletus felleus 7,plate #bd1 fig4 #a7 is a very common species4 ,the pinkish substance of this ,boletus is so extremely bitter when raw as to make it sufficiently repellent as food4 ,the color of its smooth cap varies from creamy yellow to reddish brown4 ,substance white in young specimens1 flesh color or pinkish in older individuals4 ,tube surface white at first1 becoming pinkish4 ,opening of tubes1 angled4 ,stem usually more or less netted with raised lines towards cap4 ,spores pinkish or flesh colored4 ,common in rich soil in woods4 ,illustration3 ,boletus alveolatus ,boletus felleus ,,plate ,,xxiv ,,suspicious ,,boleti ,alveolate ,boletus--,boletus alveolatus ,pileus3 ,smooth1 polished2 bright1 deep crimson or maroon1 occasionally mottled or marbled with yellowish2 three to six inches in diameter4 ,flesh3 ,firm and solid in substance2 pale greenish or yellowish white1 changing blue in fracture or where bruised4 ,tubes3 ,tube-surface reaching the stem proper2 undulate with uneven hollows2 maroon1 the tubes in section being yellow beyond their dark red mouths4 ,spores3 ,yellowish brown4 ,stem3 ,usually disproportionately long1 covered with depressions or oblong pitted indentations1 with intermediate coarse network of raised ridges2 red and yellow4 ,habitat3 ,woods2 quite common4 ,bitter ,boletus--,boletus felleus ,pileus3 ,at first firm in substance1 becoming soft and cushion-like2 smooth1 without polish1 varying in color from pale ochre to yellowish or reddish brown2 diameter three to nine inches4 ,flesh3 ,white on immediate section1 generally changing to slight pinkish or flesh color in fracture4 ,tubes3 ,tube-surface rounded upward as it reaches stem2 white at first1 becoming dull pinkish with age1 or upon being bruised4 ,spores3 ,flesh colored or dull pink4 ,stem3 ,usually quite stout1 nearly as smooth as the cap1 and somewhat lighter in color2 more or less ridged with coarse reticulations1 occasionally covered with them to its thickened base4 ,taste3 ,bitter4 ,habitat3 ,rich woods and copses1 often about decaying trunks4 ,,plate ,,xxiv ,illustration3 ,,suspicious ,,boleti4 ,,boletus ,,alveolatus4 ,b4 ,,felleus4 ,sidenote3 ,the crimson ,boletus ,boletus alveolatus4--,pileus smooth and polished1 usually rich crimson or maroon1 sometimes varied with paler yellowish tints4 ,substance very solid1 changing to blue on fracture or bruise4 ,tube surface deep dull crimson or maroon1 this color not extending the full length of the pores1 which are yellow a short distance above their mouths4 ,the stem is quite stout and tall for the size of the cap as compared with other ,boleti4 ,it is mottled in yellow and bright red or crimson1 and conspicuously meshed with a network of firm ridges4 ,the spores are yellowish brown4 ,a conspicuous and easily identified species4 ,,the ,,vegetable ,,beefsteak ,fistulina hepatica ,sidenote3 ,botanical characters ,our next member of the ,polyporus order1 or tube-bearing fungi1 is a unique member of the fungus tribe1 and cannot be mistaken for any other species4 ,an example of this species is shown in ,plate #be1 the beefsteak mushroom--,fistulina hepatica4 ,the specimen from which my drawing was made was found growing at the foot of a chestnut-tree1 and was about nine inches across by about two in greatest thickness4 ,its upper surface was dark meaty red or liver colored1 somewhat wet1 or viscid and clammy1 and its taste slightly acid4 ,the under tube surface was yellowish white1 and1 as the section will show1 was proportionately thin--the pores being about one-eighth of an inch in length4 ,the solid red substance much resembled meat1 and in sections was streaked with darker lines of red1 as indicated in plate1 somewhat suggesting a section of beet-root4 ,sidenote3 ,savory qualities ,though not common in my vicinity1 ,i nevertheless succeed in obtaining a few specimens during the season4 ,it varies greatly in size and shape4 ,m4 ,c4 ,cooke1 in his admirable plain and easy account of ,british fungi1 says of it3 ,when old it affords an excellent gravy1 and when young1 if sliced and grilled1 would pass for a good beefsteak4 ,specimens are now and then met with that would furnish four or five men with a good dinner1 and they have been collected weighing as much as thirty pounds4 ,the liver1 or paler pinkish meaty color1 clammy viscidity1 and streaky section are sufficient guides in the recognition of this species4 ,sidenote3 ,culinary preparation ,it is a highly prized article of diet on the ,continent where the arts of the chef are ingeniously employed in endless recipes for its savory preparation1 often1 it would seem1 with the main object of obliterating as far as possible all trace of the delicate flavor of the mushroom per se4 ,if the reader's experience correspond with the writer's in his mycological experiments la mode he will gladly fall back to the plain plebeian method of simply broiling over the coals1 or frying or roasting in the pan1 with the least possible seasoning of pepper1 salt1 and butter1 relying upon his mushroom to furnish the predominant zest and flavor4 ,other hints for serving this fungus are given in a later chapter4 ,besides the common name of beefsteak mushroom1 it is also known on the ,continent as the oak tongue1 and chestnut tongue4 ,illustration3 ,fistulina hepatica ,,plate ,,xxv ,,the ,,beefsteak ,,mushroom ,fistulina hepatica ,pileus3 ,diameter1 average specimen1 about six inches1 occasionally twice or three times this size2 color varying from pinkish to dark meaty red2 surface roughened with minute papill2 soft and moist4 ,flesh3 ,light red1 streaked with darker red2 tender and juicy in young specimens2 juice light red4 ,tube surface3 ,creamy in color2 tubes distinct from each other1 crowded1 very short1 as shown in section opposite4 ,stem3 ,short or obsolete1 growing at the side4 ,taste3 ,slightly acid4 ,habitat3 ,on the stumps and trunks of oak and chestnut trees4 ,season3 ,july-,september4 ,,plate ,,xxv ,illustration3 ,,fistulina ,,hepatica4 ,,the ,,sulphurous ,,polyporus ,polyporus sulphureus ,probably the most conspicuous member of our native polyporei remains to be considered among the esculents1 though until recently it was included in the black list1 ,dr4 ,curtis1 of ,north ,carolina1 ,i believe1 having first demonstrated its edibility1 though pronouncing it merely tolerable4 ,illustration ,the brilliancy of its sulphur-yellow and orange-salmon colors1 in association with its large size1 renders it a most conspicuous object1 especially from its habit of growing in dense clusters1 often a number of such clusters in close contiguity upon a decaying stump or prostrate log1 frequently so numerous and so crowded as to completely conceal the bark beneath1 as shown in the accompanying figure1 or completely covering2 a space of several square feet4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,young ,,specimen ,there lies before me even as ,i write a fragment of a single cluster which ,i plucked yesterday from the trunk of an apparently healthy red-oak near my studio1 the remainder of the clump having been enjoyed as a special course in my dinner of last evening4 ,in ,plate #bf ,i present a portrait of this specimen1 the well-named ,sulphur ,polyporus--,polyporus sulphureus4 ,it may be found frequently from ,july till frost upon its favorite habitat of old trunk1 stump1 log water-trough1 or fencepost1 usually upon wood in the early stages of decay4 ,a single cluster will often measure a foot in diameter through its very solid mass of thickened pulpy branches1 its early and esculent stage being thus compact with the subdivisions ascending from their common thick stem1 the mass somewhat suggesting a cauliflower in shape1 as shown in the illustration above4 ,the general color at this tender stage is pure sulphur-yellow1 this being the ultimate lower or spore surface now exposed by its upright position4 ,the true upper surface or cap of the later eccentrically branched fungus is of a bright orange-salmon color1 and is mostly concealed by the crowded growth4 ,sidenote3 ,a voice in the wilderness ,the specimen above alluded to would have weighed about two pounds1 and this central mass was so crowded as to afford scarcely a glimpse of the pinkish-orange pileus surface4 ,upon showing my specimen to a friend1 ,i was informed that a certain log by the roadside about two miles distant was covered with this same kind of fungus1 which seemed to be spreading all over the ground4 ,doubtless ten or twenty pounds of good nourishing food was thus going begging by the way-side1 even in sight of a rural homestead1 whose lord and master finds the butcher's bill a serious drain upon his resources4 ,my plate shows a more open cluster of the fungus in its earlier stages1 the only time when it is fit for food4 ,in this condition it is tender1 succulent1 and juicy4 ,in a few days the lobed fringes or fan-like divisions have lowered and spread out as widely as their crowded condition will permit1 assuming the horizontal or even drooping position seen at ,c1 and at ,d in the plate1 as viewed from above4 ,the pileus now being exposed1 the fungus presents a deep orange-red or salmon color to the beholder1 its sulphurous-hued pore surface being turned beneath4 ,its texture at this adult stage is tough1 fibrous1 and almost woody1 especially as it approaches the stem1 and no one would think of eating it4 ,the young specimen1 however1 is quite delicious and wholesome1 and1 considering that a single cluster will afford a dinner for a large family1 its importance as a food product1 especially to the farmer or peasant who finds economy a necessity1 is thus manifest4 ,tasted at the tip1 it yields for the first moment of mastication an acid flavor recalling that of the ,fistulina hepatica4 ,this is followed by a sweet1 slightly mucilaginous savor1 which1 in the realization that the species is wholesome1 will at once prove an invitation to further experiment with the fungus as food4 ,sidenote3 ,texture and quality ,the texture of the young mushroom will be found to vary in its different parts1 extremely tender at the thickened tuberculated tips1 becoming fibrous as the stem is approached1 and increasing in toughness1 in fracture suggesting wood in appearance 7see ,a1 ,plate #bf71 and unless the specimen is very young this portion will have to be excluded from the diet4 ,excepting this precaution it needs no preparation for the table1 assuming1 of course1 that the substance is free from grubs1 which will presumably be the case1 as ,i have never seen this fungus thus infested except in its more advanced woody growth4 ,sidenote3 ,methods of cooking ,i have not as yet satisfied myself as to the best methods of cooking this polyporus4 ,fried in butter it has a tendency to become slightly tough in consistency1 in its white stringy fibre as well as in taste closely suggesting the white meat of chicken4 ,it lends itself well to a stew or ragot1 and might1 perhaps1 to a curry1 the substance being cut or broken in small pieces and treated after the manner of meat under similar recipes4 ,following the hints contained in our last chapter1 many methods of its culinary treatment will suggest themselves4 ,illustration3 ,polyporus sulphureus ,,plate ,,xxvi ,,the ,,sulphurous ,,polyporus ,polyporus sulphureus ,in the mature specimen the growth is horizontal1 spreading fan-like from stem1 undulating with radiating flutings4 ,upper surface salmon orange or orange red1 the edge being smooth and unevenly thickened with nodule-like prominences4 ,in young specimen ascending1 under yellow surface outwardly exposed4 ,pore ,surface3 ,bright sulphur yellow2 pores very minute4 ,spores3 ,dingy white4 ,stem3 ,very short2 a mere close attachment for the spreading growth4 ,taste3 ,slightly acid and mucilaginous when raw2 after cooking somewhat suggesting white meat of chicken4 ,odor3 ,suggesting ,a4 campestris4 ,habitat33 ,on tree trunks1 particularly oaks1 often growing in very large clusters4 ,a4 ,section of fungus showing fibre4 ,c4 and ,d4 ,matured specimen4 ,,plate ,,xxvi ,illustration3 ,,polyporus ,,sulphureus4 ,sidenote3 ,its ornamental attributes ,the freely expanded specimen of this species is full of beauty1 in its wavy fan-like form and flowing lines and flutings presenting a suggestive decorative theme1 whether in the branches of painting1 sculpture1 or the plastic arts4 ,the pores upon its sulphurous surface are so minute as to be scarcely visible1 but they shed a copious quantity of whitish spores4 ,the pileus of the dried specimen is often more or less frosted with minute white crystals--binoxalate of potash--and the spore surface dulls to the color of buckskin4 ,sidenote3 ,luminous by night ,another remarkable feature about this fungus1 if report be true1 is its visibility by night1 not merely from its pale yellow hue1 but by an actual flood of bluish luminous phosphorescent light1 the environment of its haunt in the woods sometimes being lighted up by the effulgence from its ample mass of growth1 a resource not uncommon among the fungi1 and popularly known under the name of foxfire4 ,this phenomenon is frequently observable in woods at night1 following rainy weather4 ,an old stump or prostrate log will appear streaked with lines of brilliant light4 ,if we approach and detach the loosened bark1 its back and the decayed surface of the log thus exposed will prove ablaze in phosphorescence1 whose presence had scarcely been suspected but for the chance fissures which revealed the telltale streaks4 ,i recall from my boyhood experience one such midnight episode as this in which1 from the peculiar outline of the fallen trunk and the coincident circumstance of two approximate dots of brilliant light suggesting the eyes of a huge puma or tiger1 ,i stood spell-bound with momentary fear1 until ,i realized that the apparition was only a bugaboo after all4 ,approaching in the darkness1 ,i soon laid hold of the rough head of the monster1 and with a strong pull at the mass of bark of which it was composed1 laid bare several square feet of blazing phosphorescence whose only hint had gleamed through those two imaginary eyes1 which proved to be holes which had disclosed the hidden luminous fungus4 ,one authority describes a single mass of this phosphorescence as extending the entire length of a prostrate trunk thirty feet long4 ,hawthorne records having made good use of foxfire upon one occasion when1 left in the lurch at night by a canal-boat1 he procured a phosphorescent flambeau which effectually lighted his path for several miles through the otherwise impassable woods4 ,illustration ,illustration3 ,miscellaneous ,fungi ,miscellaneous ,fungi ,the species of fungi thus far described have been confined to the two great orders of the ,agarics and the ,polyporei1 which include the large majority of our edible mushrooms and toadstools4 ,the remainder of my selection in the present chapter comprises scattered examples from four other orders3 ,hydnei 7,spine-bearers71 ,clavariei 7,coral-fungi71 and the ,trichogastres 7,puff-balls71 all belonging to the first great division of the ,sporifera4 ,the remaining two species considered--,morel and ,helvella1 of the order ,elvellacei--are my only representatives of the second grand cohort of the ,sporidiifera1 whose botanical characters are described on page #gg4 ,in our previous examples the hymenium or spore-bearing surface has been disposed upon gills1 as in the ,agarics1 and on tubes in the ,polypores4 ,in the ,hydnei group1 which we will first consider1 this disseminating surface is spread over spines or teeth4 ,illustration3 ,,section ,,of ,a ,,hydnum ,the examples selected from this order are both in the typical genus ,hydnum2 and the object of this present book on fungi being especially the presentation of only such varieties as are conspicuously self-placarded by some distinctive marks for identification1 these delicious spine-bearing or hedgehog mushrooms should of course be included--a genus which cannot be mistaken for any other1 and which is instantly recognized by its own peculiar character1 already mentioned1 its spore surface being beset with soft1 drooping spines instead of pores or gills4 ,there are more than a score of species4 ,the two more or less common with us are the ,hydnum repandum1 in outline suggesting an ordinary mushroom1 and of which the above cut represents a section1 and the ,h4 caput-medus1 or ,medusa-head ,hydnum4 ,none of the group is accounted poisonous1 though some of them are too tough to be acceptable as food4 ,illustration3 ,hydnum repandum ,,plate ,,xxvii ,,the ,,hedgehog ,,mushroom ,hydnum repandum ,pileus3 ,diameter two to five inches1 generally irregular1 with the stem off centre4 ,color varying from pale buff1 the typical hue1 to a distinct bricky red4 ,spines3 ,beneath the cap1 one-quarter to one-third inch in length2 soft1 creamy in tint1 becoming darker in old specimens4 ,flesh3 ,creamy white1 solid4 ,stem3 ,often set eccentrically into the cap2 proportionately thick and short4 ,taste3 ,slightly aromatic4 ,habitat3 ,woods or shaded places in rich soil1 often in clusters4 ,season3 ,summer and autumn4 ,,plate ,,xxvii ,illustration3 ,,hydnum ,,repandum4 ,,the ,,hedgehog ,,mushroom ,hydnum repandum ,sidenote3 ,characters and qualities ,in this species1 figured on ,plate #bg1 bearing somewhat the contour of an ,agaric1 the spines are all confined to the lower surface of the expanded cap4 ,the general color of the upper surface is buff1 generally very pale1 occasionally almost white4 ,the spines being of similar hue1 this color and the smoothness of texture have suggested the common popular ,english name of doeskin mushroom4 ,the flesh is firm and white or creamy1 turning brownish when bruised4 ,its sweet but slightly pungent or peppery taste when raw disappears in cooking4 ,it is quite frequent in our woods1 and if fresh and free from insects may be eaten without the slightest hesitation4 ,it is a species highly favored on the ,continent1 where the surplus yield is habitually dried and kept for winter use4 ,the hot flavor of the raw ,hydnum was formerly sufficient to brand it as poisonous1 ,roques1 ,i believe1 having been the first to demonstrate its edibility1 and ,dr4 ,badham to distinguish its mimetic flavor--,hydna as good as oysters1 which they somewhat resemble in taste4 ,sidenote3 ,variations and varieties ,cooke and ,berkeley describe a variety of this mushroom having a distinctly reddish pileus--,h4 rufescens--and ,prof4 ,charles ,peck gives the species quite a range in its color gamut4 ,its color may be pale buff1 rusty yellow1 pale red1 or sienna color4 ,the pale buff will doubtless be found to be the most common4 ,in the variety rufescens the size is smaller and the form more symmetrical1 but the general shape and fringe-toothed spore surface are sufficient to identify the typical species under any disguise of color4 ,the cap is occasionally quite symmetrical1 suggesting the outline of a ,boletus in profile1 but more commonly is irregular and eccentric1 with stem attached towards its side1 as indicated in section on previous page4 ,it may reach the diameter of five inches in a fine specimen4 ,its favorite haunt is the open woods1 where it may be seen from the last of ,june until ,september1 either singly or in clusters1 lifting the dried leaves from their bed1 or occasionally barely revealed beneath them4 ,but the most important and savory of the entire group of ,hydnei is the species following3 ,,the ,,medusa ,,hydnum ,h4 caput-medus ,sidenote3 ,a dinner thrown away ,while driving through the ,white ,mountain ,notch1 many years ago1 ,i chanced upon a mass of cream-colored1 fringy fungus growing upon a fallen beech-log by the side of the road4 ,the fungus was then entirely new to me1 and ,i lost no time in making a sketch of it1 with notes4 ,the growth covered a space possibly eighteen inches wide by eight in height1 and ,i estimated it would weigh fully five pounds1 its most marked feature being the dense growth of drooping spines4 ,in my limited knowledge of edible fungi at the time1 ,i cautiously left the specimen in the woods1 afterwards to learn from ,dr4 ,harkness1 the mycologist1 that ,i had thrown away five pounds of the most delicious fungus meat known to the epicure4 ,i have since found minor specimens many times1 and can readily understand the enthusiastic encomiums of my connoisseur friend as to its esculent qualities4 ,illustration3 ,hydnum caput-medus ,,plate ,,xxviii ,,the ,,medusa ,,mushroom ,hydnum caput-medus ,spines3 ,the long1 soft spines cover the entire exposed portion of the fungus1 which is disposed in fleshy branching divisions1 each terminating in a crown of shorter1 drooping teeth4 ,the color is pale buff or dark creamy4 ,stem3 ,short1 concealed beneath the growth4 ,taste3 ,sweet and aromatic1 slightly pungent4 ,habitat3 ,trunks of trees1 especially beech4 ,season3 ,july to ,october4 ,,plate ,,xxviii ,illustration3 ,,hydnum ,,caput-,,medus4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,xxix4--,,hydnum ,,caput-,,medus ,sidenote3 ,haunt and description ,this species 7,plate #bh7 cannot be confounded with any other2 it is of a dark creamy color1 and usually grows sidewise upon dead beech wood 7,plate #bi71 sometimes in great profusion1 especially in the summer4 ,the soft spines entirely cover the rounded branching protuberances of the fungus4 ,the upper teeth are short and form a sort of crown1 falling from which the more and more elongated spines are firmly pendent beneath1 somewhat suggesting as many heads of tiny skye-terriers in crowded convocation--or a tiny bleached hedgehog1 if you choose4 ,a fungus bearing such conspicuous characteristics may be gathered and eaten without fear1 assuming the specimen to be fresh and free from grubs4 ,it will be found an aromatic and savory morsel1 though simply fried in butter and served on toast4 ,sidenote3 ,moss-mushroom ,one other species may be mentioned briefly1 the ,h4 coralloides1 or ,moss-mushroom1 which is unfamiliar to the writer1 but which ,curtis includes among his edible fungi4 ,it may be found growing sidewise on old trunks of living trees1 at first white1 then yellowish1 resembling when young the chou-fleur 7cauliflower74 ,from its base1 which is tender and fleshy1 spring a large number of flexible branches1 interlaced and assembled in tufts1 bearing upon the summit of each of their divisions an expansion of long points or projections1 at first straight1 then pendent1 and even curved under1 and terminating in layers4 ,cordier says that it is delicate food4 ,professor ,peck speaks enthusiastically of this species4 ,it is found in woods1 especially in hilly and mountainous districts1 and occurs during rainy or showery weather from ,august to ,october4 ,it is a pretty fungus1 and very attractive to those who are neither botanists nor fungus eaters1 and it is as good as it is beautiful4 ,in our botanical expeditions in the vast wilderness of the ,adirondack region1 we were often obliged to camp in the woods several nights in succession4 ,on such occasions this fungus sometimes formed a luxurious addition to our ordinarily simple and sometimes limited bill of fare4 ,sidenote3 ,hydnum in the kitchen ,the ,hydnei may be cooked in the same manner as employed for the ordinary mushroom1 or gathered and dried for winter use1 a very common custom on the ,continent4 ,owing to the somewhat firm1 compact substance of these mushrooms they should be cooked slowly1 in order to preserve their tenderness4 ,berkeley recommends that they be previously steeped in hot water4 ,badham especially favors the ,hydnum stew1 which he claims is an excellent dish with a flavor of oysters4 ,according to the same authority it yields also a very good pure4 ,the oyster flavor is recognized in many of the epicurean encomiums on this species4 ,various hints as to its culinary treatment will be found in a later chapter4 ,,the ,,coral ,,or ,,club ,,fungus ,clavaria ,sidenote3 ,a neglected feast ,what frequenter of the summer and autumn woods has failed to observe that occasional dense cluster of creamy-colored1 coral-like growth such as ,i have indicated at ,plate #cj1 and who has thought to gather up its fragile1 succulent mass with designs on the cook8 ,i have seen clusters of this fungus so dense and ample as to strikingly suggest a huge cauliflower1 and representing many pounds in weight4 ,but in the absence of popular appreciation it must needs decay by whole hundred-weights in the woods4 ,this is the ,clavaria1 or coral fungus--more literally translated1 though less appropriate to this particular species1 club fungus--a representative of a genus containing many edible species4 ,the one presented in the ,plate is ,clavaria formosa1 or the elegant ,clavaria4 ,it grows from four to six inches in height1 is deep creamy yellow or pale orange buff in color1 and slightly reddish at tips of branches4 ,it has a sweet taste1 a fragile1 brittle consistency1 and white substance2 its spores are pale-ochre colored4 ,curtis gives thirteen edible native species4 ,among them are the following1 which hardly call for severe technical description1 as the entire group are doubtless edible3 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,white ,,coral ,,fungus ,sidenote3 ,clavaria coralloides ,the true coral fungus--,clavaria coralloides--of our woods resembles ,c4 formosa in general shape1 but its color is white1 or perhaps pale gray4 ,its thick stem is hollow1 and its uneven1 crowded branches are brittle and flesh-white4 ,its odor is like that of the ,agaricus campestris1 and it possesses a sweet1 pleasant flavor4 ,cordier recommends it as eatable even when raw4 ,this species is in great favor in ,germany1 ,switzerland1 and ,italy1 where it is desiccated for winter use4 ,illustration3 ,clavaria formosa ,,plate ,,xxx ,,the ,,coral ,,fungus ,clavaria formosa ,thickly branched from a stout pale base1 the dense branchlets being tipped with two or three minute teeth4 ,color3 ,saffron yellow4 ,tips generally darker and more rosy4 ,flesh3 ,white4 ,spores3 ,ochre-tinted4 ,taste3 ,sweet1 tender1 and delicate4 ,height3 ,four to six inches4 ,habitat3 ,woods4 ,,plate ,,xxx ,illustration3 ,,clavaria ,,formosa4 ,illustration3 ,c4flava ,c4stricta ,c4umbrina ,c4rugosa ,c4amethystina ,,plate ,,xxxi4--,,various ,,forms ,,of ,,clavaria ,sidenote3 ,clavaria fastigiata ,clavaria fastigiata is a somewhat dwarf variety1 usually found on lawns and pastures1 seldom reaching a height of more than two inches4 ,in general aspect it resembles ,fig4 #c in ,plate #ca4 ,it is of a yellow color1 very densely branched from its short1 slender stem close to the ground1 the branches mostly terminating at the same height4 ,sidenote3 ,white-spored species edible ,all of the above-mentioned species1 except ,c4 formosa1 have white spores1 and while none of the genus is considered poisonous1 though some are so bitter and of such tough consistency as to make them unfit for food1 it is generally conceded among the authorities that all white-spored ,clavarias are certainly edible4 ,the spores are easily obtained by simply laying the fungus upon a dark surface and excluding the air1 as directed in a later chapter4 ,the various forms assumed by the ,clavarei are indicated in ,plate #ca4 ,fig4 #a is ,c4 flava2 #b4 ,c4 stricta2 #c4 ,c4 umbrina2 #d4 ,c4 rugosa2 #e4 ,c4 amethystina4 ,any specimen bearing resemblance to any of these in form1 and which is found to have white spores1 may be eaten without fear4 ,the ,clavaria forms a most inviting relish by the simple process of frying in butter1 with seasoning to taste4 ,they have the advantage of being quite free from fungus-worms1 and in the larger species are occasionally so plentiful that a half-bushel may be gathered in a few moments4 ,another species bearing the general shape suggested in ,plate #ca1 fig4 #a1 is the ,c4 botrytis4 ,it has a thick1 fleshy trunk and swollen branches4 ,its substance is very brittle2 color creamy-yellow1 with red-tipped branchlets4 ,it is found in woods4 ,,the ,,morel ,morchella esculenta ,in decided contrast to any of the foregoing fungi1 and of unmistakable aspect1 is the famous ,morel1 ,morchella esculenta 7,plate #cb74 ,sidenote3 ,botanical characters ,the ,morel belongs to a cohort of fungi known as the ,sporidiifera1 in which the spores are enclosed in bag-like envelopes1 in distinction to the ,sporifera1 in which the spores are naked and exposed1 as shown in ,plates #ce and #cf4 ,these cysts1 or bags1 or asci1 which resemble the cystidium in ,plate #ce1 and in the family of ,ascomycetes1 to which the ,morel belongs1 each contains about eight spores1 which are finally liberated by the bursting of the tip of the bag1 after the manner of a ,puff-ball4 ,in the ,morel the hymenium or spore-bearing surface is crowded with these cysts1 and covers the entire exposed conical and pitted surface of the mushroom4 ,description is hardly necessary with its portrait before us4 ,no other fungus at all resembles it except those of the same genus1 and inasmuch as they are all edible1 we may safely add to our bill of fare any fungus which resembles our illustration4 ,the ,morel has long been considered as one of the rarest of delicacies1 always at a fancy premium in the markets--a bon-mot for the rich1 a prize for the peasant4 ,i could fill all my allotted space with the delicate schemes of the chefs in its preparation for the table4 ,illustration3 ,morchella esculenta ,,plate ,,xxxii ,,the ,,morel ,morchella esculenta ,pileus3 ,oval1 elliptical1 or round in outline2 diameter one inch to three inches in a large specimen2 hollow4 ,color pale yellowish brown1 varying to greenish2 surface more or less regularly honey-combed with deep depressions4 ,stem3 ,hollow1 dingy white1 united to the base of pileus4 ,taste3 ,sweet and pleasant4 ,habitat3 ,woods1 orchards1 and shaded grassy places4 ,season3 ,may and ,june4 ,,plate ,,xxxii ,illustration3 ,,morchella ,,esculenta4 ,dr4 ,badham's recommendation1 among my list of recipes1 is worth a trial for the sake of novelty1 if nothing more4 ,the hollow shape of our ,morel thus suggests a variation on the conventional methods of cooking4 ,the color of the ,morel in its prime is grayish-green1 occasionally brownish4 ,it is most commonly found in orchards1 and is said to favor spots where charcoal or cinders have been thrown4 ,,helvella ,helvella crispa ,sidenote3 ,specific characters ,one of the most strikingly individual of all the mushrooms1 and one which could not possibly be confounded with any other kind1 is the example pictured in ,plate #cc4 ,with this mere portrait as our guide1 we might safely classify our specimen--at least1 as to its genus2 and inasmuch as no one of the group is poisonous1 and all are edible with varying degrees of esculence1 we can make no mistake even in our ventures as amateur mycophagists4 ,when1 therefore1 we find a fungus with such a peculiar1 irregularly fluted and hollowed stem1 itself hollow within1 or tubular1 and surmounted with a rather thin1 flexible1 wavy cap1 resembling our illustration1 we may know that we have a specimen of ,helvella4 ,if this example happens to be creamy above and ochre-colored beneath1 it is the ,helvella crispa of our ,plate4 ,the specimen here shown is somewhat larger than in nature4 ,other species are differently formed and colored1 one of them having the cap dark ash-colored or even black4 ,there are three species occasionally met with1 of which the first1 ,h4 crispa1 is the most common and perhaps the most delectable4 ,sidenote3 ,dried mushrooms ,the peculiar texture of these mushrooms permits of their ready desiccation1 and in ,britain and on the ,continent they are commonly strung on strings and dried for future use1 in which condition they have been compared to dried wash-leather in texture4 ,the famous aristocratic ,morel 7,morchella esculenta71 already described1 so prized as food in ,europe1 and to which the ,helvella is closely allied1 has a similar irregular1 pitted1 hollowed1 and netted surface over its entire conical or globular gray cap1 and the same texture4 ,most competent judges claim that the delicious ,morel possesses no advantages over the more plebeian ,helvella as a delicacy for the table4 ,the flavor is identical1 and the other qualities of the two mushrooms make them equally desirable4 ,the readiness with which they may be dried1 and thus kept indefinitely1 is another distinct advantage which the ,morels and ,helvellas possess over the ordinary gilled ,agarics1 many of which must be gathered in their young prime and immediately eaten4 ,there are numerous ways of serving these fungi1 among which is the common method of frying with butter or oil1 and variously seasoning with onion1 garlic1 herbs1 etc41 according to taste1 and serving on toast1 or with crisped bread-crumbs4 ,our chapter on recipes will suggest other more elaborate methods4 ,illustration3 ,helvella crispa ,,plate ,,xxxiii ,,the ,,white ,,helvella ,helvella crispa ,pileus3 ,two to three inches in diameter2 wavy or curled1 reflexed at edges1 often puckered towards centre2 white or pale creamy2 somewhat leathery in texture in older specimens4 ,spore surface3 ,on underside of cap1 ochraceous4 ,stem3 ,white1 more or less furrowed with vertical hollows4 ,taste3 ,similar to ,morel1 to which it is closely allied4 ,habitat3 ,woods4 ,season3 ,summer and autumn4 ,,plate ,,xxxiii ,illustration3 ,,helvella ,,crispa4 ,,puff-,,balls ,lycoperdace ,illustration3 ,,section ,,of ,,puff-,,ball--,,earlier ,,and ,,later ,,stages ,a detailed discrimination of the ,puff-balls is hardly necessary here1 and ,i will therefore omit it4 ,while ,i am not inclined to go so far as to contend1 as was the quaint habit of old ,dr4 ,culpeper1 in his ,herbal1 in which he was wont similarly to elude description of an herb1 affirming that he were a fool indeed who does not know this plant--or words of similar import--it is perfectly safe to say that if there is one fungus more than another with which the populace is specifically familiar it is the ,puff-ball4 ,sidenote3 ,spore-cloud dissemination ,in these fungi1 of which there are many species1 the spores are incased within the white or dingy peridium or more or less globular case--gasteromycete1 from gaster1 a stomach4 ,the interior spore substance is at first white and firm in structure1 at length peppered with gray1 both conditions being indicated in accompanying cut1 and ultimately black or brown1 after which the outer case becomes dry and papery1 and soon bursts at the summit1 liberating its clouds of spores with the slightest zephyr1 or1 later1 becoming dislodged from its slender anchorage to the soil1 is whisked before the breeze enveloped in its spore-smoke4 ,fries1 the eminent fungologist1 has reckoned the number of these spores in a single ,puff-ball at ten millions--presumably a conservative estimate4 ,but it will surprise most people to know that the plebeian ,puff-ball of our pastures is good for something besides the kick of the small boy4 ,there are a number of species of the ,puff-ball1 and none of them is known to be poisonous4 ,sidenote3 ,various species ,i have indicated an arbitrary group in ,plate #cd ranging in shape and size from the small white globular variety of an inch in diameter1 ,l4 saccatum1 and the pear-shaped ,l4 gemmatum1 to the giant pasture species1 which may frequently attain the dimensions of a football or a bushel basket4 ,in its larger dimensions it is more spreading in shape1 being somewhat wider than high4 ,all the ,puff-balls are edible if gathered at the white stage--i4e41 white pulp2 those of yellow or darker fracture being excluded1 as the fungus in this later stage is not considered fit for food4 ,illustration3 ,a group of ,puff-balls ,,plate ,,xxxiv ,a ,,group ,,of ,,puff-,,balls ,lycoperdace ,the group opposite represents three species4 ,the largest1 ,l4 giganteum2 the pear-shaped1 ,l4 gemmatum2 and the small1 round ,l4 saccatum4 ,l4 giganteum4 ,the largest species4 ,diameter ten to twenty-five inches2 often more spreading in shape than specimen shown2 surface smooth2 stem hardly apparent2 color dingy white in the edible state1 at which time the solid flesh is also white4 ,spore dust1 at maturity1 yellowish brown4 ,grows in fields and pastures4 ,l4 gemmatum4 ,stem prolonged and tapering from above1 suggesting the specific name pear-shaped2 color dingy white2 surface covered with deciduous warts2 substance1 young state1 white2 spore dust brown2 height two to three inches4 ,l4 saccatum4 ,stemless2 white2 setting close to the ground2 one to two inches in diameter2 surface covered with loose1 warty granules2 substance1 young state1 white2 spore dust brown4 ,these and all other ,puff-balls are edible in the young condition when the pulp is white4 ,,plate ,,xxxiv ,illustration3 ,a ,,group ,,of ,,puff-,,balls4 ,,lycoperdon ,,giganteum4 ,l4 ,,gemmatum4 ,l4 ,,saccatum4 ,sidenote3 ,esculent qualities ,of the esculent qualities of the larger species1 ,lycoperdon giganteum1 we may judge from the statement of a connoisseur3 ,sliced and seasoned in butter and salt1 and fried in the pan1 no ,french omelette is half as good in richness and delicacy of flavor4 ,m4 ,c4 ,cooke1 the ,british authority1 says of it3 ,in its young and pulpy condition it is excellent eating1 and indeed has but few competitors for the place of honor at the table4 ,other epicurean suggestions will be found in a later page4 ,occasionally in its plenitude1 especially during ,august and ,september1 single clusters will be found which would afford a meal for a large family4 ,other species1 more or less frequent1 are the ,l4 separans1 whose outer epidermis cracks off in flakes at maturity2 ,l4 cyathiforme1 or cup-shaped ,lycoperdon1 a large species with distinctly purplish smoke so familiar to us all1 the final cup-shaped remnant of its case having suggested its name4 ,the larger specimens will be found the more fully flavored4 ,sidenote3 ,closing words of caution ,there is but one danger which would seem to be possible with reference to the use of the ,puff-ball as food within the restrictions already given1 and that is1 the remote contingency--assumable only on the supposition of most careless observation--of confounding the white ball with the globular condition of the ,amanita 7see ,plate #b1 fig4 #a71 or other fungi of the same deadly group1 which are similarly enclosed in a spherical volva in their early stages4 ,but inasmuch as this spherical period of the ,amanita is usually spent underground and out of sight1 and the merest glance at its contents would at once reveal the folded form of the enclosed mushroom1 it would hardly seem necessary to warn the intelligent reader4 ,but once warned1 twice armed2 and for absolute safety the tyro would do well to open every specimen1 and be sure of its even1 white1 homogeneous substance before turning it over to the cook4 ,there are a number of other esculent species of fungi as easily available and enjoyable as those already described1 but the scheme of the volume would hardly warrant their inclusion4 ,even though the element of danger is practically eliminated1 so far as the identification of the foregoing fungi is concerned1 it is still wise for the amateur to proceed with caution until he has absolutely learned the individual species in their various forms of development4 ,illustration ,illustration3 ,spore-prints ,mushroom ,spore-prints ,sidenote3 ,puff-ball spore-clouds ,our common dusty ,puff-ball1 floating its faint trail of smoke in the breeze from the ragged flue at its dome-shaped roof as from an elfin tepee1 or perhaps enveloping our feet in its dense purple cloud as we chance to step upon it in the path1 is familiar to every one4 ,to the mycophagist connoisseur1 on the alert for every delectable fungus morsel for his fastidious appetite1 the ,puff-ball is indeed pleasantly familiar1 though a specimen in such a powdery stage as the above is apt to bring only regrets that its discovery has been thus delayed1 for in its earlier firm white stage he knows it at his table as a most delicate entre of mock omelet4 ,the old-time country physician gathered its powdery bag and carefully preserved it for another purpose1 its spongy1 dusty contents having been a time-honored remedy as a styptic1 or for the arrest of hemorrhage from wounds4 ,but by no class of the community perhaps is it so enthusiastically welcomed as by the small boy1 to whom it is always a challenge for a kick and a consequent demonstration of smoke worthy of a ,fourth-of-,july celebration4 ,a week ago this glistening gray bag1 so free with its dust-puff at the slightest touch1 was solid in substance and as white as cottage cheese in the fracture4 ,in this condition1 sliced and fried1 it would have proven a veritable delicacy upon our table1 quite suggesting an omelet in consistency and flavor1 and in size also1 if perchance we had been favored with one of the larger specimens1 which frequently approaches the dimensions of a football4 ,sidenote3 ,development of spores ,but in a later stage this clear white fracture would have appeared speckled or peppered with gray spots 7see page #bga71 and the next day entirely gray and much softened1 and1 later again1 brown and apparently in a state of decay4 ,but this is not decay4 ,this moist brown mass by evaporation becomes powdery1 and the ,puff-ball is now ripe1 and preparing for posterity4 ,sidenote3 ,buoyant spore-atoms ,sidenote3 ,number of spores ,each successive squeeze1 as we hold it between our fingers1 yields its generous response in a puff of brown smoke1 which melts away apparently into air4 ,but the ,puff-ball does not thus end in mere smoke4 ,this vanishing purple cloud is composed of tiny atoms1 so extremely minute as to require the aid of a powerful microscope to reveal their shapes4 ,each one of these atoms1 so immaterial and buoyant as to be almost without gravity1 floating away upon the slightest breath1 or even wafted upward by currents of warm air from the heated earth1 has within itself the power of reproducing another clump of ,puff-balls1 if only fortune shall finally lodge it in congenial soil4 ,these spores are thus analogous to the seeds of ordinary plants4 ,the number of these vital atoms or spores in a single ,puff-ball is almost past computation4 ,fries1 however1 an eminent fungologist1 went to some pains to estimate this number1 and1 referring to a certain puff-ball1 says3 ,the spores are infinite4 ,in a single individual of ,reticularia maxima ,i have reckoned ten millions so subtle as to resemble thin smoke as light as if raised by evaporation1 and dispersed in so many ways--by the sun's attraction1 by insects1 by adhesion and elasticity--that it is difficult to conceive the spots from which they could be excluded4 ,sidenote3 ,spore-cloud from mushrooms ,we have seen the myriad-fold dispersion of its potential atoms in the cloud of spore-smoke1 but who ever thinks of a spore-cloud from a mushroom or a toadstool8 ,yet the method of the ,puff-ball is followed by all the other fungi1 with only less conspicuousness4 ,the ,puff-ball gives a visible salute1 but any one of the common mushrooms or toadstools will afford us a much prettier and more surprising account of itself if we but give it the opportunity4 ,this big yellow toadstool out under the poplar-tree--its golden cap studded with brownish scurfy warts1 its under surface beset with closely plaited lamin or gills--who could ever associate the cloud of dry smoke with this moist1 creamy-white surface8 ,we may sit here all day and watch it closely1 but we shall see no sign of anything resembling smoke or dust1 albeit a filmy emanation is continually eluding us1 floating away from beneath its golden cap1 the eager breeze taking such jealous care of the continual shower that our eyes fail to perceive a hint of it4 ,sidenote3 ,catching the spores ,do you doubt it8 ,you need wait but a few moments for a visible demonstration of the fact in a pretty experiment1 which1 when once observed1 will certainly be resorted to as a frequent pastime in leisure moments when the toadstool or mushroom is available4 ,sidenote3 ,a spore-portrait ,here is a very ordinary-looking specimen growing beside the stone steps at our back door perhaps4 ,its top is gray1 its gills beneath are fawn-colored4 ,we may shake it as rudely as we will1 and yet we shall get no response such as the ,puff-ball will give us4 ,but let us lay it upon a piece of white paper1 gills downward1 on the mantel1 and cover it with a tumbler or finger-bowl1 so as to absolutely exclude the least admission of air4 ,at the expiration of five minutes1 perhaps1 we may detect a filmy pinkish-yellow tint on the paper1 following beneath the upraised border of the cap1 like a shadow faintly lined with white4 ,in a quarter of an hour the tinted deposit is perceptible across the room1 and in an hour1 if we carefully raise the mushroom1 the perfect spore-print is revealed in all its beauty--a spore-tint portrait of the under surface of the mushroom--a pink-brown disk with a white centre1 which indicates the point of contact of the cut stem1 and white radiating lines1 representing the edges of the thin gills1 many of them as fine and delicate as a cobweb4 ,every fresh species experimented with will yield its surprise in the markings and color of the prints4 ,illustration3 ,,making ,,the ,,print ,these spore-deposits are1 of course1 fugitive1 and will easily rub off at the slightest touch4 ,but inasmuch as many of these specimens1 either from their beauty of form or exquisite color1 or for educational or scientific purposes1 it will be desirable to preserve1 ,i append simple rules for the making and fixing of the prints by a process which was original with the writer1 and which he has found most effective for their preservation4 ,sidenote3 ,making and fixing spore-prints ,sidenote3 ,various colors of spores ,take a piece of smooth white writing-paper and coat its surface evenly with a thin solution of gum-arabic1 dextrine1 or other mucilage1 and allow it to dry4 ,pin this1 gummed side uppermost1 to a board or table1 preferably over a soft cloth1 so that it will lie perfectly flat4 ,to insure a good print the mushroom specimen should be fresh and firm1 and the gills or spore-surface free from breaks or bruises4 ,cut the stem off about level with the gills1 lay the mushroom1 spore-surface downward1 upon the paper1 and cover with a tumbler1 finger-bowl1 or other vessel with a smooth1 even rim1 to absolutely exclude the slightest ingress of air4 ,after a few hours1 perhaps even less1 the spores will be seen through the glass on the paper at the extreme edge of the mushroom1 their depth of color indicating the density of the deposit4 ,if we now gently lift the glass1 and with the utmost care remove the fungus1 perhaps by the aid of pins previously inserted1 in a perfectly vertical direction1 without the slightest side motion1 the spore-print in all its beauty is revealed--perhaps a rich brown circular patch with exquisite radiating white lines1 marking the direction and edges of the gills1 if an ,agaric2 perhaps a delicate pink1 more or less clouded disk1 here and there distinctly and finely honey-combed with white lines1 indicating that our specimen is one of the polypores1 as a ,boletus4 ,other prints will yield rich golden disks1 and there will be prints of varying red1 lilac1 green1 orange1 salmon-pink1 and brown and purple1 variously lined in accordance with the nature of their respective parent gills or pores4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,xxxv4--,,spore-,,surface ,,of ,,an ,,agaric ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,xxxvi4--,,spore-,,surface ,,of ,,polyporus 7,,boletus7 ,sidenote3 ,invisible prints ,sidenote3 ,fixing the print ,occasionally we shall look in vain for our print1 which may signify that our specimen had already scattered its spores ere we had found it1 or1 what is more likely1 that the spores are invisible upon the paper1 owing to their whiteness1 in which case black or colored paper must be substituted for the white ground1 when the spores will be beautifully manifest in a white tracery upon the darker background4 ,one of these1 from the ,amanita muscarius1 is reproduced in ,plate #cg4 ,if the specimen is left too long1 the spore-deposit is continued upward between the gills1 and may reach a quarter of an inch in height1 in which case1 if extreme care in lifting the cap is used1 we observe a very realistic counterfeit of the gills of the mushroom in high relief upon the paper4 ,a print of this kind is of course very fragile1 and must be handled with care4 ,but a comparatively slight deposit of the spores1 without apparent thickness1 will give us the most perfect print1 while at the same time yielding the full color4 ,such a print may also be fixed by our present method so as to withstand considerable rough usage1 by laying the paper upon a wet towel until the moisture has penetrated through and reached the gum4 ,the spores are thus set1 and1 upon drying the paper1 are securely fixed4 ,indeed1 the moisture exuded by the confined fungus beneath the glass is often sufficient to set the spores4 ,a number of prints may be obtained successively from a single specimen gathered at its fruitful prime4 ,sidenote3 ,agarics and ,polypores ,to those of my readers interested in the science of this spore-shower ,i give illustrations of examples of the two more common groups of mushrooms--the ,agaric1 or gilled mushroom1 and the ,polyporus1 or tube-bearing mushroom4 ,the entire surface of both gills and pores is lined with the spore-bearing membrane or hymenium1 the spores being produced in fours from each of the crowded sporophores1 and1 where all air is absolutely excluded1 permitting them to fall directly beneath their point of departure as indicated2 in the case of the ,agaric1 in radiating lines in correspondence with the spaces between the gills2 and in ,polyporus1 directly beneath the opening of each pore1 whose inner surface is lined with the sporophores1 as shown in ,plate #cf4 ,sidenote3 ,spore-mist from an ,agaric ,this dust-shower is continuous in nature after the perfect ripening of the spores1 but it is almost impossible to conceive of such an entire absence of moving air under natural conditions as to permit even a visible hint of the spore-shower to appear beneath its respective fungus4 ,an exception to this rule is sometimes to be seen in fungi of massed growth--as1 for example1 beneath such a cluster as that shown on page #adg4 ,indeed1 a correspondent recently described such a cluster as enveloped in a mist of its own spores floating away in the apparently still air4 ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,xxxvii4--,,spore-,,print ,,of ,,amanita ,,muscarius ,illustration3 ,,plate ,,xxxviii4--,,action ,,of ,,slight ,,draught ,,on ,,spores ,sidenote3 ,affected by a pin-hole draft ,in ,plate #ch is shown a spore-print with a peculiar elongated tail4 ,such was the specimen which ,i observed when lifting the pasteboard box which had been placed above the mushroom to absolutely exclude the air4 ,the explanation was simple when ,i discerned that the tapering elongation pointed directly to a tiny hole in the box barely larger than a knitting-needle4 ,illustration3 ,,fungus ,,spores ,the greatest portion of the myriads of spores are wafted to the ends of the earth1 and form an important element in the so-called dust so unwelcome to the tidy housewife4 ,a sticky glass slide exposed to the deposit of such dust1 and placed beneath the microscope1 will reveal many fungus spores4 ,the air is full of them4 ,a few of the various characteristic forms of these fungus-spores is shown on a previous page1 somewhat as a powerful microscope would reveal them to us4 ,sidenote3 ,whims of habitat ,but it is only as they chance to alight individually in congenial conditions for growth that they will consent to vegetate4 ,thus billions of them are doomed to perish without progeny4 ,these whims of habitat among the fungi are almost past belief4 ,here1 for instance1 is a tiny ,puff-ball hardly larger than the period on this page4 ,it bursts at the summit1 and sheds its puff of microscopic spores1 so light as to be without gravity1 floating and settling everywhere upon the earth1 but only as they chance to alight upon the spines of a dead chestnut-burr of two years' decay will they find heart to grow4 ,such is the fastidiousness of the little white mushroom1 whose globular caps dot the spines of the decaying chestnut-burrs in so many damp nooks in the woods4 ,sidenote3 ,curious fastidiousness ,in closing my chapter a glance at the further eccentricities of choice will not be inopportune4 ,i append a few taken at random from the pages of ,berkeley1 which lie open before me4 ,in addition to the general broad distinctions of habitat as woods1 rotten wood1 old pastures1 dunghills1 we find such fastidious selections as the following1 each by a distinct species with its own individual whim3 ,dead fir-cones1 sawdust1 beechnuts1 plaster walls1 old fermenting coffee-grounds1 wheat ears1 cinders1 dead oak leaves1 old linen1 wheat bread1 hoofs1 feathers1 decayed rope1 fat1 microscopic lenses1 and damp carpets4 ,a complete list of these exclusive habitats of fungi would well fill a large book1 and might indeed almost involve the index of our botanies and zoologies1 to say nothing of organic substances generally4 ,sidenote3 ,house-fly fungus ,plants1 both living and dead1 are favorite habitats for various species4 ,the old stems of the common ,european nettle1 according to ,cooke1 becomes the host of about thirty distinct species of the minute fungi4 ,the toadstool itself is often the victim of other minor species4 ,insects are a frequent prey4 ,the wasp succumbs to its special fungus parasite1 which has formed a home within its body1 and the common house-fly is seen in the toils of its similar enemy1 as it hangs helpless by its proboscis upon the window-pane1 enveloped in the winding-sheet of white mould from the fungus which has done its work within the insect's body4 ,spiders1 locusts1 ants1 cicad1 and presumably all insects1 are subject to similar fate from their especial parasitic fungi4 ,the fungus thus often comes to the rescue of afflicted humanity in regulating the undue increase of insect pests4 ,here is a pretty1 slender1 orange1 pointed mushroom growing in the moss4 ,we pluck it from its bed1 and it brings to the surface a chrysalis1 with the dead moth distinctly seen within the cavity from which its roots spring4 ,when we next come upon this species in the moss1 we may confidently predict the discovery of this same species of chrysalis4 ,sidenote3 ,edible caterpillar fungi ,a similar long1 slender fungus springs from the head of a caterpillar in ,new ,zealand1 and at length almost absorbs the insect's body4 ,a similar species upon another caterpillar is carefully collected and desiccated by the ,chinese1 with whom it forms an important article in their native pharmacopia1 and1 moreover1 it seems1 may be perhaps appropriately included among the edibles1 for are we not assured by these expert and indiscriminate epicures of the chopsticks that this species makes an excellent dressing for roast duck4 ,illustration ,illustration3 ,recipes ,concerning ,mushromes and ,tadstoles ,and now for that our fine mouthed and daintie wantons who set such store by their tooth2 take so great delight to dress this only dish with their own hands1 that they may feed thereon in conceit and cogitation all the while they be handling and preparing the same1 furnished in this their businesse with their fine knives and razors of amber and other vessels of silver about them4 ,i for my part also am content to frame and accomodate myself to their humourous fancie and will shew unto them in generall certaine observations and rules how to order and use them that they may be eaten with securitie4 ,,plinius ,,secundus4 ,recipes ,the earnest plea of ,dr4 ,badham for this neglected--rather1 ,i may say1 spurned--spontaneous harvest of fungi is well worth emphasizing in our pages2 affording1 as it does1 a most suggestive commentary on the universal popular ignorance1 so far as ,america is concerned1 of the economic value of this perennial offering of ,nature1 which abounds in such luxuriance throughout our continent4 ,sidenote3 ,the spurned harvest ,i have this autumn myself1 he writes1 witnessed whole hundred-weights of rich1 wholesome diet rotting under trees2 woods teeming with food1 and not one hand to gather it2 and this1 perhaps1 in the midst of a potato-blight1 poverty1 and all manner of privations1 and public prayers against imminent famine4 ,sidenote3 ,the comprehensive fungus ,i have1 indeed1 grieved1 when ,i have reflected on the straitened condition of the lower classes this year1 to see pounds innumerable of extempore beefsteaks growing on our oaks in the shape of ,fistulina hepatica2 ,agaricus fusipes1 to pickle1 in clusters under them2 ,puff-balls1 which some of our friends have not inaptly compared to sweetbreads for delicacy of their unassisted flavor2 ,hydna1 as good as oysters1 which they somewhat resemble in taste2 ,agaricus deliciosus1 reminding us of tender lamb kidneys2 the beautiful yellow ,chantarelle1 that kalon kaigothon of diet1 growing by the bushel1 and no basket but our own to pick up a few specimens on our way2 the sweet1 nutty-flavored ,boletus1 in vain calling himself 'edulis' where there was none to believe him2 the dainty ,orcella2 the ,agaricus heterophyllus1 which tastes like a crawfish when grilled2 the ,agaricus ruber1 and ,agaricus virescens1 to cook in any way and equally good in all--these are the most conspicuous of the trouvailles4 ,sidenote3 ,a reliable crop ,his remarks applied to ,great ,britain1 and reflected a popular disdain of fungi1 which presented a marked contrast to the appreciation of the mushroom of the ,continent1 where the fungus had become the much-sought bonne bouche of the epicure1 and the welcome reliance of the peasant poor1 to whom it afforded a perfect substitute for the desideratum of animal food commonly denied them by their circumstances4 ,sidenote3 ,the fungus specialist ,this plea of ,dr4 ,badham's is even more pointedly pertinent to the ,america of the present than it was for his own country at the time2 for while1 in ,great ,britain1 the mycophagist epicure was even then occasionally to be met with1 in ,america to-day this particular gastronomic specialist is locally conspicuous1 or rather notorious1 from his very rarity1 being popularly considered as a sort of dangerous crank1 who should be conservatively muzzled by the authorities1 for the safety of himself as well as the public4 ,sidenote3 ,mycophagist missionaries ,in the absence of any adequate popular guide to this great food resource1 it may be hoped that this present work may afford not merely an occasional dainty entre to the menu of the luxurious epicure1 but--a far more important consideration--a means of bringing the fungus within reach of the less-favored masses as a never-failing dependence for their daily food4 ,dr4 ,badham's further pertinent remarks are worth quoting1 in this connection1 with emphasis3 ,as soon as the reader is initiated in this class of dainties he will1 ,i am persuaded1 lose no time in making the discovery known to the poor of his neighborhood2 while in so doing he will render an important service to the country at large1 by instructing the indigent and ignorant in the choice of an ample1 wholesome1 and excellent article1 which they may convert into money or consume at their own tables1 when properly prepared1 throughout the winter4 ,sidenote3 ,a suggestive statement ,concerning the lavish plenitude of the fungus as a food resource1 a passage from a letter of the late ,dr4 ,curtis1 of ,north ,carolina1 to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,m4 ,berkeley1 of ,england1 many years ago1 is most significant3 ,of this latter quality ,i had become so well convinced that1 during our late war1 ,i sometimes averred--and ,i doubt if there was much1 if any1 exaggeration in the assertion--that in some parts of the country ,i could maintain a regiment of soldiers five months in the year upon mushrooms alone4 ,a statement which doubtless will appear extravagant to those who have been accustomed to consider the one common mushroom as the only esculent among the fungi4 ,sidenote3 ,nutritious properties ,as already mentioned previously in my pages1 the fungus affords a perfect substitute1 chemically and gastronomically1 for animal food4 ,the analysis of its substance is almost identical with that of meat1 being especially rich in nitrogenous elements1 while its flavor and aroma and texture1 as served for the table1 occasionally so closely imitate that of flesh food as to be actually deceptive4 ,even in its raw state it would occasionally seem to suggest the same animal similarity4 ,as an illustration1 ,i recall the following striking instance of gastronomic discrimination in a carnivorous appetite1 as exemplified in a full-grown pet hawk which ,i had tethered near my country studio4 ,sidenote3 ,a discriminating hawk ,one day1 returning from a toadstool hunt1 she observed me approaching with a basketful of mushrooms4 ,they were mostly of the fleshy ,boleti species4 ,supposing that ,i was bringing her food1 she became very demonstrative in her actions1 eying me most eagerly1 and uttering that peculiar low squeal which seemed to emanate from the region of her appetite4 ,as she approached me1 thinking to satisfy her that the basket contained nothing suitable for hawk-food1 ,i tossed her one of the largest of the mushrooms1 which she almost caught in mid-air in her talons4 ,such was the strength of her clutch that the fungus was scattered in fragments upon the ground1 when what was my surprise to observe the bird proceed from one fragment to another in a most ravenous manner1 exhibiting all those tactics habitual to the hawk with live prey--the lowering and outspreading of the wings and tail against the ground1 the raising of the neck feathers1 and the same defiant1 defensive mien which she had so often shown on previous occasions when a mouse or a squirrel had been the object of her solicitude4 ,having eaten the first fungus1 ,i threw her another1 which she devoured with the same eagerness1 and another1 and another1 until she had taken five1 and her crop was as large as a pint cup2 after which she betook herself quietly to her roost on the rail near by1 evidently under the supposition that she had broken her fast with a sumptuous meal of rabbit or squirrel flesh4 ,sidenote3 ,fish1 flesh1 and fowl ,the ,agaricus ostreatus is known as the vegetable oyster --its flavor in a stew quite closely simulating the flavor of the bivalve2 another fungus as the beefsteak mushroom--not without good reason2 the ,polyporus sulphureus distinctly suggests the flesh and flavor of chicken2 others1 as we have seen1 resemble kidneys and sweetbread2 while the ,agaricus ulmarius of the elm would seem entitled to its popular name of fish-mushroom1 from the following incident related by ,palmer3 ,i recently sent some elm-tree mushrooms to a family where the youngest member is but twenty-one months of age4 ,at breakfast-time she noticed the strange dish1 and her father gave her a small piece4 ',more fish6 more fish6' was the instant response4 ,sidenote3 ,a boon to the vegetarian ,indeed1 the vegetarian may humor his humane whim1 and still enjoy fish1 flesh1 and fowl at his table without a qualm of conscience in a menu which1 in aroma1 quality1 and flavor1 might well deceive his unconverted omnivorous brother1 only at last to win his encomium to the glory of the multum in parvo fungus4 ,the possibilities in this direction are suggested in my appended hints for a menu for the vegetarian4 ,in my previous pages ,i have made occasional reference to the more simple methods of preparation of certain species of fungi for the table1 but have reserved extended reference to culinary treatment for the present chapter4 ,sidenote3 ,fungi in the kitchen ,for the benefit of those of my readers who may desire to humour their delicate fancie to the full1 with the result of a more or less complete disguise of the characteristic mushroom flavor through the arts which are supposed to assist nature1 ,i append a selected list of favorite recipes for such alleged appetizing sophistication of the mushroom4 ,many of them will be found equally applicable to other species than that for which they are nominally recommended1 especially if such species should possess the same general character as to consistency4 ,the author confesses that he is not in thorough sympathy with the general trend of these ingeniously contrived lures to dyspepsia1 whose contemplation may well awaken a sympathetic appreciation of that antique philosophic epigram1 ,there are as many diseases as cooks--the discriminating impeachment of ,seneca regarding the chef la mode4 ,sidenote3 ,de gustibus non est disputandum ,but doubtless the author will be overwhelmingly overruled in his hypercriticisms1 and will remain one of a select discriminating minority in continued genuine enjoyment of his mushrooms1 while the majority of his proselytes to mycophagy will in vain endeavor to detect the mushroom flavor in the obliterating disguise concocted in the kitchen or instigated by the mischievous receipt-book4 ,indeed1 the prominence of the spice1 clove1 nutmeg1 thyme1 tarragon1 and pepper ingredient in most of these favorite recipes1 to say nothing of the champagne1 onion1 garlic1 lemon-juice1 cayenne1 anchovy1 etc41 with which the delicately flavored mushrooms are so generally sophisticated in these culinary preparations1 would seem to warrant our scepticism as to the value of the epicurean testimony as to the superior flavor1 of the various ,champignons1 ,chantarelles1 etc41 so confidently recommended4 ,the juice of a lemon1 or oil of lemon-peel1 will absolutely annihilate the peculiar characteristic fungus flavor of the average mushroom4 ,the true mushroom epicure1 it would seem1 should value his mousseron not as an absorbent vehicle for the gastronomic conveyance of highly seasoned sauce or dressing1 but for the unique individual flavor which differentiates the fungus from other kinds of food4 ,but we are all allowed to differ in matters of taste1 and each must decide for himself or herself what particular disguise is most palatable4 ,the recipes which follow are from various sources1 most of them modifications based upon the earlier epicurean devices of ,mrs4 ,hussey and ,dr4 ,badham1 the pioneers of ,english mycophagy1 and of ,roques1 ,persoon1 ,paulet1 ,cordier1 and other noted ,european authorities4 ,i am indebted1 also1 to the works of ,m4 ,c4 ,cook1 ,worthington ,smith1 ,w4 ,robinson1 and ,j4 ,a4 ,palmer for occasional selections from their recommended recipes4 ,,recipes ,,for ,,mushroom ,,cooking ,in all cases the mushroom should be fresh1 clear and free from the insect indications mentioned on page #aca4 ,some epicures recommend that the specimens be also washed in cold acidulated water and dried in a cloth2 for what reason is not clear1 unless the mushrooms are sufficiently dirty to require such cleansing process4 #a ,mushroom ,soup ,take a good quantity of mushrooms1 cut off the earthy ends and wash them2 stew them1 with some butter1 pepper1 and salt1 in a little good stock until tender2 take them out and chop them up until quite small2 prepare a good stock as for any other soup1 and add it to the mushrooms and the liquor they have been stewed in4 ,boil all together and serve4 ,if white soup be desired1 use the white button-mushrooms and a good veal stock1 adding a spoonful of cream or a little milk1 as the color may require4--,w4 ,smith4 ,other mushrooms may be substituted for the ordinary ,campestris above mentioned4 ,a very good mock oyster soup may be prepared from the mushrooms ,hydnum and the ,agaricus ostreatus4 #b ,pure of ,mushrooms ,to make a pure of mushrooms1 select such as are of a globular shape1 called 'button-mushrooms2' wash them in cold water and wipe them dry2 chop them as fine as possible and press them in a cloth2 put them in a stewpan with a little butter and pepper2 let them stand over a brisk fire1 and when the butter is melted squeeze in lemon-juice and add jelly broth1 according to the quantity of the mushrooms4 ,stew until reduced to the consistency of pea-soup1 and serve with meat1 fish1 or poached egg4--,cooke4 #c ,mushroom ,stew ,put about two ounces of butter into a stewpan2 when thoroughly melted add a teaspoonful of salt1 and from a quarter to half the quantity of black pepper1 according to taste1 and a small bit of mace or a pinch of powdered nutmeg4 ,having a pint of the mushrooms in readiness1 put them in the pan1 cover closely1 and stew them till they are tender1 which will probably require from twenty minutes to half an hour4 ,the addition of flour stirred in cream or milk1 by which the stew is thickened1 is by some considered a desirable addition4 ,this recipe is given with special reference to the ,campestris1 but will be found suitable for other mushrooms of the same consistency4 #d ,broiled ,mushrooms on ,toast ,remove the stems1 and place the mushrooms in a double wire broiler over the coals1 with the gill sides down1 for about two minutes1 or even less if the specimens are small4 ,the broiler should then be turned1 and the cooking should proceed for two minutes more2 towards the end of that time the juicy gills should be sprinkled with salt and pepper1 a small piece of butter being finally melted in each as they are served on the hot toast4 ,by this simple method all the natural juices of the mushroom are retained and the true aroma and flavor is conserved4 ,bacon toasted over the mushrooms is considered by some to improve the flavor4 #e ,mushrooms la ,provenal ,take mushrooms of good size1 remove the stems and cut their tops in halves or quarters1 which1 with the chopped stems1 should then be immersed in olive oil1 spiced with salt1 pepper1 and a piece of garlic1 for about two hours4 ,they should then be put into a stewpan with oil and cooked over a brisk fire4 ,a variation of this method includes the addition of chopped meat and the yolks of two eggs1 the whole being slightly browned in the oven before serving4 #f ,mushrooms la ,crme ,trim and rub half a pint of button-mushrooms2 dissolve two ounces of butter rolled in flour in a stewpan2 then put in the mushrooms1 a bunch of parsley1 a teaspoonful of salt1 half a teaspoonful each of white pepper and powdered sugar2 shake the pan around for ten minutes1 then beat up the yolks of two eggs with two tablespoonfuls of cream1 and add by degrees to the mushrooms4 ,in two or three minutes you can serve them in the sauce4--,worthington ,smith4 #g ,mushroom ,ragot ,put into a stewpan a little stock1 a small quantity of vinegar1 parsley and green onions chopped up1 salt1 and spices4 ,when this is about to boil1 the mushrooms being cleaned1 put them in4 ,when done remove them from the fire and thicken with yolks of eggs4--,worthington ,smith4 ,another recommends that the stew should be poured upon toast1 or upon crusts of bread previously fried in butter4 #h ,stewed ,mushrooms on ,toast4 ,put a pint of mushrooms into a stewpan1 with two ounces of butter rolled in flour1 add a teaspoonful of salt1 half a teaspoonful of white pepper1 a blade of powdered mace1 and half a teaspoonful of grated lemon2 stew until the butter is all absorbed1 then serve on hot toast as soon as the mushrooms are tender4 #i ,champignon ,cut in small pieces and seasoned it makes an excellent addition to stews1 hashes1 or fried meats2 but it should be added only a few minutes before serving1 as the aroma is dissipated by over-cooking4 ,it is the mushroom used in the ,french la mode beef-shops in ,london4--,badham4 ,they may be cooked in any of the methods employed for the ordinary mushroom already noted4 #aj ,chantarelle ,stew ,this mushroom1 being of rather tough consistency1 requires long and slow cooking4 ,cut the mushrooms across and remove the stems2 put them into a closely covered saucepan with a little fresh butter1 and sweat them until tender at the lowest possible temperature4 ,a great heat always destroys the flavor4--,mrs4 ,hussey4 #aa ,hydnum ,stew ,roques1 the ,french mycologist1 says of the ,hydnum repandum3 ,the general use of this fungus throughout ,france1 ,italy1 and ,germany leaves no room for doubt as to its good qualities4 ,but very little has been said of its companion species1 the ,h4 caput-medus1 described in the foregoing pages1 and which is certainly greatly its superior in texture and flavor4 ,dr4 ,harkness considers it one of the most delicious morsels among the whole fungus tribe4 ,both species1 containing naturally less moisture than most mushrooms1 are easily dried4 ,when fresh they should be soaked in water and cooked slowly at low temperature and frequently basted1 the dried specimens being first soaked in tepid water until their original form and pulpy consistency are nearly regained4 ,in a pure the ,hydnum makes an appetizing dish1 with a slight flavor of oysters4 ,roques recommends the following recipe for a stew3 ,cut the mushrooms into pieces and let them steep in warm water for twenty minutes4 ,then allow them to simmer for an hour in a pan with butter1 pepper1 salt1 and parsley1 with the addition of beef or other gravy4 ,mrs4 ,hussey recommends stewing in brown or white sauce2 in the latter case it will closely suggest oyster sauce4 ,another mushroom--the ,lactarius deliciosus--stewed in a similar manner closely suggests the flavor of lambs' kidneys4 #ab ,roast ,mushrooms ,mr4 ,palmer recommends the following3 ,cut the larger specimens into fine pieces and place them in a small dish1 with salt1 butter1 and pepper to taste2 put in about two tablespoonfuls of water1 then fill the dish with the half-open specimens and the buttons2 cover tightly and place in the oven1 which must not be overheated1 for about ten minutes4 ,the juice of the larger mushrooms will keep them moist1 and1 if fresh1 yield a most abundant gravy4 #ac ,baked ,russula ,see that the mushrooms are free from dirt and grit on tops and stems1 or rinse in cold water1 afterwards wiping them dry and shaking off the water from the gills2 make a mince of the stems1 bread-crumbs1 sweet herbs1 pepper1 salt1 and a little butter or oil2 pile this upon the gills2 place the mushrooms in a shallow dish in a hot oven and baste them frequently with the melted butter or oil4 ,in about fifteen minutes they will be ready to serve4 ,the ,oyster ,mushroom or its congener1 the ,agaricus ulmarius1 might both be treated by this method1 the oyster or fish-like flavor of these species thus affording a distinct second course for our menu4 ,either of these ,pleurotus species may also be treated so as to closely suggest an escalop of oyster or fish4 #ad ,baked ,procerus ,remove the stems2 do not rinse the mushrooms unless they are soiled1 and this species is usually conspicuously clean2 put some slices of toast in a well-buttered pie-dish1 and1 with a little melted butter or cream poured over them1 lay in the mushrooms2 sprinkle with pepper1 salt1 and a small quantity of minced parsley which has previously been rubbed with onion or garlic2 cover the dish with a plate and bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes and serve in the dish4 ,the aroma is thus conserved1 and1 upon being released at the table1 will prove a most savory appetizer4 #ae ,cottagers' ,procerus ,pie ,the following appetizing recipe is recommended by ,robinson3 ,cut fresh ,agarics in small pieces1 cover the bottom of a pie-dish with small1 thin slices of bacon1 and place the mushroom fragments upon them1 with the addition of salt and pepper2 upon this place a layer of mashed potatoes1 following again with other similar layers of bacon1 mushrooms1 and potatoes1 until the dish is filled1 the last layer of potato answering for a crust2 bake in the oven for half an hour1 and brown before a brisk fire4 ,doubtless many other species of mushroom would lend themselves equally well to this particular treatment4 #af ,baked ,gambosus ,place some fresh-made toast1 nicely divided1 on a dish1 and put the ,agarics upon it2 pepper1 salt1 and put a small piece of butter on each2 then pour on each one a tablespoonful of milk or cream1 and add a single clove to the whole dish2 place a bell-glass or inverted basin over the whole2 bake twenty minutes1 and serve up without removing the glass until it comes to the table1 so as to preserve the heat and aroma1 which1 on lifting the cover1 will be diffused through the room4--,cooke4 ,a great quantity of gravy comes out of it1 mingled1 in the case of a good specimen1 with osmazome1 which tastes very much like the similar brown exudation on the surface of a roast leg of mutton4--,robinson4 #ag ,fried ,mushrooms on ,toast ,place a pint of mushrooms in a pan1 with a piece of butter about the size of an egg2 sprinkle in a teaspoonful of salt1 and half a teaspoonful of pepper2 when the butter is nearly absorbed1 thicken with fresh butter and flour and pour upon hot toast1 which should be served hot4 #ah ,mushrooms with ,bacon ,fry a few rashers of nice streaky bacon in the pan in the usual manner2 when nearly done add a dozen or so of mushrooms1 and fry them slowly until they are cooked4 ,in this process they will absorb all the fat of the bacon1 and1 with the addition of a little salt and pepper1 will form a most appetizing breakfast relish4 #ai ,mushrooms en ,caisse ,the following is recommended as a dainty by ,worthington ,smith3 ,peel the mushrooms lightly and cut them into pieces2 put them into cases of buttered paper1 with a bit of butter1 parsley1 green onions1 and shallots chopped up2 salt and pepper2 dress them on a gridiron over a gentle fire and serve in the cases4 ,the cases might be made of pastry4 #bj ,hungarian ,soup of ,boleti ,dry the ,boleti in the oven2 soak the mushrooms in tepid water1 thickening with toasted bread till the whole be of the consistency of a pure2 then rub through a sieve1 throw in some stewed boleti1 boil together1 and serve with the usual condiments4--,paulet4 #ba ,boletus ,fritters ,persoon recommends this method of treatment of the ,boletus as very appetizing3 ,the fritters may be prepared in the method ordinarily adopted1 the slices of the mushroom being dipped in batter and browned either in the frying-pan or in the hot fat1 after the manner of the doughnut4 #bb ,beefsteak ,mushroom ,this species is claimed to resemble meat in flavor more than any other fungus4 ,the gravy1 in quality and color1 would certainly deceive a most discriminating palate4 ,like many of the ,polyporei1 it is comparatively slow in maturing1 occasionally1 it is said1 requiring two weeks ere it reaches its prime1 when it may acquire a large size4 ,it should be gathered before its maturity to insure tenderness1 though the older1 tougher individuals1 cut in pieces and cooked separately1 will yield a quantity of rich red gravy1 to be added to the dish of more tender specimens4 ,if it is not beef itself1 says ,mrs4 ,hussey1 it is sauce for it4 ,if sliced and grilled it would pass for a good beefsteak1 says ,cooke1 with truth4 ,mrs4 ,hussey recommends that it should be sliced and macerated in salt1 the deep-red liquor which exudes should be put hot into a dish with a little lemon-juice and minced shallots1 and a broiled steak deposited in it4 ,it may also be variously stewed or fricasseed with excellent results1 and affords a delicious soup with savor closely suggesting beef broth or consomm clair4 ,a beefsteak pie made on the foregoing recipe prescribed for the ,procerus would doubtless prove a most appetizing entre4 #bc ,the ,oyster ,mushroom ,it may be cooked in any way that an oyster is1 and is equally good in all1 says a distinguished connoisseur--in soups1 stewed1 broiled1 curried1 baked1 in the form of an escalop1 patties1 or vol-au-vent1 or fried with butter in the form of fritters4 ,in all cases where the fungus itself is to be eaten1 the specimens should be young and tender1 the older individuals1 if free from insects1 might be used for soups4 ,see ,recipe #ac4 #bd ,polyporus ,stew ,the beautiful sulphur-colored ,polyporus described in my previous pages when stewed closely suggests the tender white meat of chicken or veal1 and might lend itself to various deceptive dishes1 as1 for instance1 soups1 croquettes1 fricassees1 or patties4 ,only the tender young plant should be employed1 and a little experience will suggest various appetizing methods of treatment4 #be ,ragot of ,morels or ,helvella ,the following is an old-time recipe of ,persoon3 ,pick and clean your fungi and cut them in two2 wash and dry them well by wiping2 then put them in a stewpan with butter1 or a piece of ham or bacon2 place them over a brisk fire1 and when the butter is melted squeeze in a little lemon-juice1 give a few turns1 and then add salt1 pepper1 and a little grated nutmeg2 cook slowly for an hour1 pouring on at intervals small quantities of beef gravy or jelly broth to prevent burning2 when done1 thicken with yolks of eggs4 ,the lemon-juice is omitted by many1 who consider it a positively unpalatable as well as unwholesome ingredient4 #bf ,stuffed ,morels ,dr4 ,badham's work contains the following recipes from ,persoon1 which1 from the peculiar construction of the fungus1 affords a contrast to ordinary methods3 ,choose the freshest and whitest ,morels2 open the stalk at the bottom2 wash and wipe them well2 fill with veal stuffing1 anchovy1 or any rich farce you choose1 securing the ends and dressing between slices of bacon4 ,serve with a sauce4 #bg ,morelles la ,italienne ,here is another skilful compound from the same source3 ,having washed and dried the mushrooms1 divide them across2 put them on the fire with some parsley1 scallion1 chervil1 burnet1 tarragon1 chives1 a little salt1 and two spoonfuls of fine oil2 stew until the juice runs out1 then thicken with a little flour4 ,serve with bread-crumbs and a squeeze of lemon4 #bh ,clavaria ,stew ,badham gives the following recipe for the ,clavaria1 or coral fungus3 ,after sousing in tepid water and wiping perfectly clean1 the fungus should be 'sweated' over a slow fire1 afterwards to be strained and the liquor thrown away2 stew for an hour2 add salt1 pepper1 cloves1 and parsley to taste1 masking with plain stock and dredging occasionally with flour4 ,thicken with yolks of eggs and cream4 #bi ,fried ,clavaria ,the simple process of browning in butter or oil in the frying-pan1 with the addition of pepper and salt1 and serving hot on buttered toast or with fried eggs1 will be found a most palatable method of treating this fungus4 ,for those who are willing to sacrifice the characteristic fungus flavor to a savor more pronounced1 the ,clavaria is also said to be delicious when fried with onions or with curry in the usual method4 #cj ,puff-ball ,fritters1 ,omelettes1 ,sweetbreads1 and ,souffl ,as already described1 the ,puff-balls in their white-pulp condition are esculent and afford a delicate relish4 ,the species ,giganteus sometimes attains a diameter of nearly two feet1 and where such a specimen or even much smaller ones are situated at an easily available distance1 we may profit by the hint of ,vitadini1 the ,italian mycologist3 ,cut off a slice at a time1 cutting it horizontally1 and using great care not to disturb its growth1 to prevent decay1 and thus one may have a fritter every day for a week4 ,dr4 ,curtis calls this species the ,southdown of mushrooms4 ,his opinion of its merits as food will be shared by others who give it a trial3 ,it has a delicacy of flavor that makes it superior to any omelette ,i have ever eaten4 ,it seems1 furthermore1 to be so digestible as to adapt itself to the most delicate stomach4 ,mrs4 ,hussey1 the pioneer ,english authority1 recommends the following recipe3 ,first remove the outer skin2 cut in slices half an inch thick2 have ready some chopped herbs1 pepper1 and salt2 dip the slices in the yolk of egg1 and sprinkle the herbs upon them2 fry in fresh butter and eat immediately4 ,the extreme tenderness and delicacy of the ,puff-ball thus cooked resembles a souffl1 and suggests many possibilities of appetizing variations and combinations1 as1 for example1 with jelly1 in the form of an entremet or dessert4 ,by many the flavor of the ,puff-ball has been compared to sweetbread1 and doubtless so cooked and served would afford an agreeable variation in the menu4 ,indeed1 it may be prepared in a variety of ways1 as suggested for other species1 but from its peculiar consistency is particularly adapted to frying in the pan4 ,with chopped ham or thinly sliced smoked beef it might furnish a good substitute for the ham-omelette or frizzled beef4 ,another addition to our entremets might be availed of in the jelly mushroom1 ,hydnum1 or ,tremelodon gelatinosum1 which is not described in this volume4 ,it is eaten raw1 either plain or with milk and sugar1 and is said to be of most delicate flavor4 #ca ,mushroom ,salad ,according to ,cooke1 the ,beefsteak mushroom before mentioned is employed as an entremet in ,vienna1 the fresh fungus being cut in thin slices and eaten as a salad4 ,the fresh1 crisp young ,russula mushrooms thus served also furnish a very appetizing relish1 with the usual varieties of dressing as in the various sauces1 mayonnaise1 ,french dressing1 etc4 ,the ,polyporus sulphureus having been boiled and allowed to cool might furnish a deceptive chicken salad4 ,doubtless other species of mushrooms--,clavaria1 for example--would lend themselves acceptably to this method of serving4 ,cordier recommends this latter species as appetizing even when raw4 #cb ,pickled ,mushrooms ,select the mushrooms in the round-button condition and before expansion2 immerse them in cold water for a few moments1 then drain them2 cut off the stalks1 and gently rub off the outer skin with a moist flannel dipped in salt2 boil the vinegar1 adding to each quart two ounces of salt1 half a nutmeg grated1 a dram of mace1 and an ounce of white pepper-corns2 put the mushrooms into the vinegar for ten minutes over the fire2 then pour the whole into small jars1 taking care that the spices are equally divided2 let them stand a day1 then cover them4 #cc ,mushroom ,catsup ,large quantities of mushrooms of various species are annually consumed in ,europe in the manufacture of catsup4 ,following is one of the many favorite foreign recipes3 ,place the ,agarics1 of as large a size as you can procure1 layer by layer in a deep pan2 sprinkle each layer with a little salt2 the next day stir them well several times1 so as to mash and extract their juice2 on the third day strain off the liquor1 measure and boil for ten minutes1 and then to every pint of liquor add half an ounce of black pepper1 a quarter of an ounce of bruised ginger-root1 a blade of mace1 a clove or two1 and a teaspoonful of mustard-seed2 boil again for half an hour1 put in two or three bay-leaves1 and set aside until quite cold2 pass through a strainer1 and bottle2 cork well and dip the ends of the bottle in melted resin or beeswax2 a very little ,chili vinegar is an improvement1 and some add a glass of port-wine or of ale to every bottle4 ,care should be taken that the spice is not so abundant as to overpower the true flavor of the mushrooms4 #cd ,dried ,mushrooms ,it will often happen in a normal fungus season that the production will exceed the possibility of consumption1 and thousands of pounds of delicious mushrooms will thus be left to decay in their haunts4 ,the process of drying mushrooms for winter use is in most extensive practice by the peasantry of ,europe and ,britain1 who thus find an all-the-year-round dependence upon mushroom diet4 ,with most species this process of desiccation is so simple that it is recommended1 in the confident belief that1 once tried1 the winter mushroom will hereafter afford a frequent relish upon many a board and will well repay the slight trouble in their summer preparation4 ,in most of the ,agarics--notably the ,campestris1 ,procerus1 ,champignon1 ,russula1 ,chantarelle--simply threading on strings and hanging in the sun and wind1 or festooned above the kitchen range1 will be sufficient to reduce them to complete dryness in a few hours4 ,indeed1 some of these1 such as the ,procerus and ,champignon1 dry spontaneously in their haunts1 and may be thus gathered4 ,in the instances of more fleshy fungi1 such as the ,boleti1 ,polyporei1 and ,coprinus1 more rapid desiccation is necessary4 ,by exposing them in the sun on a tin roof or absorbent paper the moisture is rapidly evaporated4 ,they might also be suspended above the kitchen range in a wire basket and thus quickly dried4 ,in ,boleti the drying is facilitated by the removal of the whole pore layer1 which is easily separated from the cap4 ,the ,clavaria and ,morel are very simply dried1 even in ordinary house temperature4 ,strung upon threads and suspended in the sun or near the fire they would very quickly be reduced to absolute dryness4 ,mushrooms thus treated seem to retain their aroma2 in ,procerus1 ,clavaria1 ,morel1 ,helvella1 and ,fairy-ring being intensified above that of their moist condition and most appetizing4 ,the desiccated specimens should be kept in a dry place1 with good circulation of air1 or enclosed in hermetically sealed tin boxes2 in the latter case being occasionally examined to insure against mould by possible absorption of moisture4 ,when desired for use they are simply soaked in tepid water1 which1 by gradual absorption1 causes the specimens occasionally to assume almost their original dimensions and juicy character1 when they should be treated as recommended for the fresh mushrooms4 99 99 99 99 99 ,for the benefit of the vegetarian1 or the curiously or experimentally inclined1 ,i append a few suggestions apropos of a menu la mode1 in which the fungus might be employed with good effect as a rival to the familiar established prandial delights4 ,each selection is numbered with reference to its particular descriptive or suggestive paragraph in the preceding pages of the chapter4 ,a feast based upon these recommendations1 re-enforced with appropriate adjuncts--the mother-born vinegar1 the fungus-leavened loaf1 the fungus-foaming beaker--might cumulatively prove a persuasive plea for the creed of vegetarianism4 ,menu ,potages ,consomm de buf clair1 #bb ,potage la pure d'hutres1 #a1 #aa1 #ac ,potage la pure de buf1 #bb ,potage la pure de volaille1 #bd ,poissons ,ctelettes de poisson--,sauce aux champignons1 #ac ,escalope de poisson1 #ac ,hors-d'oeuvres ,croquettes de ris de veau1 #bd ,bouches au poulet1 #bd ,releve ,filet de buf aux champignons1 #bb1 #bc ,entres ,omelette aux jambon1 #cj ,rognons d'agneau1 #aa ,pt de biftecks1 #bb ,beignettes d'hutres1 #ac1 #bc ,hutres en curry1 #bc ,petits vols-au-vent d'hutres ou bouches d'hutres1 #ac1 #bc ,fricasse de poulet1 #bd ,entremets ,salad de ,russula au mayonnaise1 #ca ,salad de ,fistulina1 #ca ,salad de ,clavaria1 #ca ,salad de volaille1 #ca ,dessert ,omelette souffl au gele1 #cj ,pouding souffl1 #cj ,gele de ,hydnum1 #cj ,bibliography ,,american #a4 ,geological and ,natural ,history ,survey of ,north ,carolina4 ,part ,,iii4 ,botany4 ,containing a catalogue of the indigenous and naturalized plants of the ,state4 ,by ,rev4 ,m4 ,a4 ,curtis1 ,d4,d41 etc4 ,raleigh1 #ahfg4 7,out of print47 #b4 ,mushrooms of ,america4 ,edible and ,poisonous4 ,edited by ,julius ,a4 ,palmer1 ,jr4 ,numerous colored plates4 ,published by ,l4 ,prang ,co41 ,boston1 #ahhe4 #c4 ,about ,mushrooms4 ,a ,guide to the ,study of ,esculent and ,poisonous ,fungi4 ,a collection of various articles upon the subject4 ,by ,julius ,a4 ,palmer4 ,lee ,shepard1 ,boston1 #ahid4 #d4 ,boleti of the ,united ,states4 ,a catalogue containing full descriptions of one hundred and eight species4 7,no illustrations47 ,by ,professor ,charles ,h4 ,peck1 ,state ,botanist1 ,state ,hall1 ,albany1 ,n4 ,y4 ,annual ,report of the ,state ,botanist issued by the ,board of ,regents1 ,albany ,university4 ,professor ,peck has also published a series of papers on ,edible ,mushrooms in ,the ,country ,gentleman1 of ,albany1 ,n4 ,y4 ,a new work from him on this subject is in preparation4 #e4 ,pacific ,coast ,fungi4 ,by ,dr4 ,h4 ,w4 ,harkness and ,justin ,p4 ,moore4 #ahhj4 ,a catalogue4 #f4 ,the ,deadly and ,minor ,poisons of ,mushrooms4 ,by ,charles ,mc,ilvaine4 ,reprint from the ,therapeutic ,gazette4 ,george ,s4 ,davis1 ,detroit1 ,mich4 ,quoted in present volume4 ,captain ,mc,ilvaine is also the author of several popular articles on the subject of esculent mushrooms which have appeared in various journals and magazines4 #g4 ,fungi ,caroliniani ,exsiccati4 ,five ,fasciculi1 one hundred specimens in each4 ,by ,h4 ,w4 ,ravenel1 of ,aiken1 ,s4 ,c4 ,john ,russell1 ,charleston4 #h4 ,bulletins of ,united ,states ,department of ,agriculture1 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,by ,thomas ,m4 ,taylor1 ,chief of the ,division of ,microscopy4 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 #ahic-id4 ,five issues1 with many colored plates of various specimens1 both edible and poisonous2 also full directions for cultivation of the common mushroom4 #i4 ,notes for ,mushroom ,eaters4 ,by ,w4 ,g4 ,farlow4 ,pamphlet4 ,illustrated4 ,garden ,forest ,publishing ,co41 ,new ,york4 ,,english #aj4 ,illustrations of ,british ,mycology4 7,hand-painted47 ,by ,mrs4 ,t4 ,j4 ,hussey4 ,reeve ,brothers1 ,london1 #ahdg4 ,an admirable work1 the pioneer treatise in ,great ,britain2 rare2 reference copies only in prominent libraries4 #aa4 ,esculent ,funguses of ,england4 ,by ,rev4 ,dr4 ,c4 ,d4 ,badham4 ,with twenty colored plates4 #hvo4 ,l4 ,reeve ,co41 ,london4 #ahgj4 #ab4 ,a ,plain and ,easy ,account of the ,british ,fungi2 with ,descriptions of the ,esculent and ,poisonous ,species1 ,details of the ,principles of ,scientific ,classification1 and a ,tabular ,arrangement of ,orders and ,genera4 ,by ,m4 ,c4 ,cooke1 ,m4,a41 ,,ll4,d4 ,with twenty-four colored plates4 ,r4 ,hardwick1 ,piccadilly1 ,london1 #ahga4 ,an excellent1 inexpensive1 and popular hand-book4 #ac4 ,outlines of ,british ,fungology4 ,containing ,characters of above a ,thousand ,species of ,fungi1 and a ,complete ,list of all that have been described as ,natives of the ,british ,isles4 ,by ,rev4 ,m4 ,j4 ,berkeley1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,l4,s4 ,lovell ,reeve1 ,henrietta ,street1 ,covent ,garden1 ,london1 #ahfj4 ,beautifully illustrated with twenty-four lithographic hand-colored plates by ,w4 ,fitch1 each plate presenting several species1 and including a number of the esculent4 #ad4 ,mushrooms and ,toadstools3 ,how to ,distinguish ,easily the ,differences between ,edible and ,poisonous ,fungi4 ,with two large sheets containing figures of twenty-nine edible and thirty-one poisonous species drawn the natural size1 and colored from living specimens4 ,by ,worthington ,t4 ,smith1 ,f4,l4,s4 #b;d edition1 ,r4 ,hardwick1 #aib ,piccadilly1 ,london1 #ahge4 #ae4 ,a ,selection of the ,eatable ,funguses of ,great ,britain4 ,edited by ,robert ,hogg1 ,,ll4,d41 and ,geo4 ,w4 ,johnson1 ,f4,r4,h4,s4 ,numerous excellent hand-colored plates4 #af4 ,fungi3 ,their ,nature and ,uses4 ,by ,m4 ,c4 ,cooke1 ,m4,a41 ,,ll4,d42 edited by the ,rev4 ,m4 ,j4 ,berkeley1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,l4,s4 ,in ,international ,scientific ,series4 ,d4 ,appleton ,co41 ,n4 ,y4 ,a very full and condensed epitome of the science of fungology4 #ag4 ,hand-book of ,british ,fungi4 ,by ,m4 ,c4 ,cooke4 #b vols4 ,macmillan ,co41 ,london1 #ahga4 #ah4 ,illustrations of ,british ,fungi4 ,atlas to accompany above4 ,by ,m4 ,c4 ,cooke4 ,williams ,norgate1 ,london1 #ahhi4 #ai4 ,scottish ,cryptogamic ,flora4 #f vols4 ,by ,r4 ,r4 ,greville1 #ahbc4 #bj4 ,fungi-hunters' ,guide4 ,by ,william ,d4 ,hay4 ,swan ,sonnenschein1 ,lowrey ,co41 ,london1 #ahhg4 #ba4 ,elementary ,text-book4 ,by ,william ,d4 ,hay4 ,swan ,sonnenschein1 ,lowrey ,co41 ,london1 #ahhg4 #bb4 ,british ,fungi4 ,by ,john ,stevenson4 ,william ,blackwood ,sons1 ,london1 #ahhf4 #bc4 ,mushroom ,culture4 ,by ,w4 ,robinson4 ,f4 ,warne ,co41 ,london1 #ahgj4 ,containing full directions for the cultivation of mushrooms2 also an extended chapter upon common wild species4 ,illustrated with wood-cuts1 numerous recipes1 etc4 ,,french #bd4 ,plantes ,usuelles4 ,par ,joseph ,roches4 ,vol4 ,,iv41 containing the ,edible and ,poisonous ,fungi3 also his ,histoire des ,champignons ,comestibles et ,tn-neux4 ,elegantly illustrated4 ,paris1 #ahch4 #be4 ,les ,champignons3 ,histoire1 ,description1 ,culture1 ,usages des ,espces ,comestibles1 ,vnneuses1 ,suspectes1 etc4 ,par ,f4 ,s4 ,cordier4 ,with sixty chromo-lithographs4 #dth edition4 ,paris1 #ahgf4 #bf4 ,histoire ,naturelle des ,champignons4 ,by ,g4 ,sicard4 ,c4 ,h4 ,delagrave1 ,paris1 #ahhc4 ,numerous colored plates4 ,rare4 ,copy in ,astor ,library1 ,n4 ,y4 #bg4 ,botanique ,cryptogamique1 ou ,histoire des ,familles ,naturelles des ,plantes ,infrieures4 ,par ,j4 ,payer1 ,docteur s ,sciences1 etc4 ,with #aaje engravings on wood4 ,victor ,masson1 ,paris1 #ahej4 #bh4 ,des ,champignons4 7,orfila ,prize ,essay47 ,by ,emile ,boudier4 ,j4 ,b4 ,ballire1 ,paris1 #ahff4 #bi4 ,champignons4 ,by ,l4 ,m4 ,gautier4 ,j4 ,b4 ,ballire et ,fils4 ,paris1 #ahhd4 #cj4 ,figures ,peintes de ,champignons4 ,by ,captain ,l4 ,lucand4 ,friedlander ,son1 ,berlin1 #ahhb4 7,reference copy at ,massachusetts ,horticultural ,society47 #ca4 ,les ,champignons4 ,by ,j4 ,moyen4 ,j4 ,rothschild1 ,paris1 #ahhi4 #cb4 ,nouvelle ,flore4 ,by ,j4 ,constantin and ,leon ,dufour4 ,paul ,dupont1 ,paris1 #ahia4 ,,index ,,acknowledgments1 #dj4 ,agaricace1 order of the1 #gg4 ,agaricini1 #ge-agh2 botanical characters of1 #gi4 ,agarics1 edible1 #hj-agh2 ,curtis's list of1 #i-ab4 ,agaricus1 #dc1 #dd2 vegetation of1 #dd-dg1 #he-ib1 #ajg2 botanical characters of1 #gg-gi1 #bhc4 ,agaricus1 species of3 ---- ,amanita1 see ,amanita2 ---- arvensis1 #he1 #ia2 epicurean opinions of1 #id2 ---- campestris1#i1 #ac1 #ba1 #bd1 #hj-ie1 #cjg1 #cjh1 #cba2 the ,mushroom1 #af-bb2 variations in1 #hi-ic2 spore-print of1 #bhc2 ---- candicans1 #hf2 ---- euosmus1 #adg2 ---- fusipes1 #bii2 ---- gambosus1 #ie-aja2 to cook1 #cac2 ---- heterophylla1 see ,russula2 ---- ,marasmius oreades1 #aja-ajh2 ---- melleus1 #aj1 #bh2 ---- orcella1 #cjj2 ---- ostreatus1 #aj1 #bf1 #ada-adh1 #cjc1 #cjg2 ---- pratensis1 #ia2 ---- procerus1 #aj1 #hf1 #hg1 #aac-aai1 #cab1 #cba2 ---- ruber1 #cjj2 ---- ulmarius1 #aj1 #bf1 #bg1 #adh-aed1 #cjc1 #cab2 ---- vaporarius1 #ia2 ---- villaticus1 #ia2 ---- virescens1 #cjj4 ,see1 also1 ,russula1 ,coprinus1 ,lactarius1 ,chantarelle1 and ,marasmius4 ,agrippina1 victim of ,amanita1 #ei4 ,amanita1 genus of1 readily identified1 #b1 #bc1 #gd1 #bgc4 ---- ,botanical characters of1 #bi1 #cc1 #da-ea1 #gi1 #bgc4 ---- ,the cup or volva in1 #bi1 #cc1 #dg1 #dh1 #eg1 #gd1 #bgc4 ---- ,vegetation and development of1 #dd1 #de1 #gd2 the veil or shroud of1 #dh4 ---- ,fatalities from eating1 #b1 #ae1 #bi1 #fj2 a dangerous enemy1 #ae1 #bc1 #bi2 silver test upon1 #bf2 effect of salt and heat upon1 #bi4 ---- ,poison of1 #dh1 #fj2 chemical nature of poison of1 #dh1 #fa2 ,czar ,alexis1 #eb2 ,agrippina1 #ei2 intoxication from1 #ei1 #fj2 dipsomaniacs1 #ei1 #fj2 isolation of poison of1 #fa2 absorption of poison of1 by contact and odor1 #cj1 #fi2 diagnosis and treatment of poison of1 #ch1 #ci2 antidote for poison of1 #fa-fh2 report of a case of poisoning by1 #fc-ff2 poison of1 extracted by vinegar1 #ga4 ,amanita1 ,poisonous species of3 ---- vernus1 #ag1 #be1 #ea2 ---- muscarius1 #ea1 #gc2 spore-print of1 #bhi1 #bia2 ---- phalloides1 #ea1 #gd4 ---- ,edible species of1 #gc2 ,csarea1 rubescens1 strobiliformis1 #i1 #ab1 #dh4 ,amanitine1 #fj2 antidote1 #fb4 ,alexis1 ,czar1 victim of ,amanita1 #eb4 ,america and ,europe1 comparative appreciation of fungi in1 #bii4 ,american and ,european fungi identical1 #ab4 ,american mycophagists1 #h1 #i1 #ae4 ,antidotes for mushroom poisoning1 #fb1 #fg1 #fh4 ,ants attacked by fungi1 #bie4 ,asci in fungi1 #bef4 ,ascomycetes1 #bef4 ,asiatic ,russia1 ,amanita dipsomaniacs of1 #ei4 ,bacterium bacillus1 #g1 #h4 ,badham1 ,dr4 ,c4 ,d41 quoted1 xii41 #ab1 #ac1 #dj1 #agg1 #ahi1 #bcg1 #bdf1 #bii1 #cja1 #cjf1 #caj1 #caf4 ,bibliography1 ,no4 #aa1 #cbf4 ,baked mushrooms1 #caa-cac4 ,basket for gathering mushrooms1 #cf4 ,beefsteak mushroom1 #aa1 #bg1 #bac-bag1 #cjc2 to cook1 #cad2 as salad1 #cai4 ,bees and wasps1 #cf4 ,beetles infesting fungi1 #cg4 ,belladonna4 ,see ,atropine4 ,berkeley1 ,rev4 ,m4 ,j41 variations in ,campestris1 #dj1 #ia2 quoted1 #ajg1 #bcg1 #bdf1 #bid1 #cja4 ,bibliography1 ,nos4 #ac and #af1 #cbf4 ,bibliography-- ,american1 #cbe2 ,english1 #cbf2 ,french1 #cbg4 ,bitter ,boletus1 #bjh4 ,blights1 #g4 ,blue mould1 #gh4 ,blue-stain ,boleti1 #aif4 ,boleti1 #ahb-bac2 botanical characters of1 #aha-ahd1 #bhe2 hawk fed upon1 #cjb2 fritters of1 #cad2 soup of1 #cad2 to dry1 #cba4 ,boletus1 characters of1 #ahb2 various edible1 #aj1 #bf1 #ahb-bac2 spore-print of1 #bhe4 ,boletus1 ---- alveolatus1 #ahc1 #bja1 #bjh2 ---- castaneus1 #aj2 ---- chrysenteron1 #aie-bja2 ---- collinitus1 #aj2 ---- cyanescens1 #bja1 #bjg2 cone-like1 #bjb2 ---- edulis1 #aj1 #ac1 #af1 #ah1 #ahi1 #aij1 #cjj2 artificial cultivation of1 #hf2 crimson1 #bac2 ---- elegans1 #aj2 ---- felleus1 #bjg1 #bjh-bac2 ---- flavidus1 #aj2 ---- granulatus1 #aj2 ---- luteus1 #aj2 ---- satanas1 #bjg1 #bjh2 ---- scaber1 #aj1 #aia-aie2 ---- subtomentosus1 #aj1 #bf1 #ahc1 #aie2 blue stain of1 #aif1 #bja1 #bjg2 ---- strobilomyces1 #bjb-bjg2 spore-print of1 #bha2 ---- versipellis1 #aj4 ,botanical discrimination1 #ca1 #cb4 ---- discrimination of ,amanita4 ,see ,amanita4 ,boudier1 ,emile4 ,bibliography1 ,no4 #bh1 #cbg4 ,bovista nigrescens1 #aj4 ---- plumbea1 #aj4 ,broiled mushrooms1 #cjh4 ,bubbola maggiore4 ,see ,pasture ,mushroom4 ,bulbosine1 #fj4 ,campestris4 ,see ,agaricus4 ,cantharellus1 ---- cibarius1 #aj1 #bg1 #agb-agh1 #cjj2 ---- aurantiacus1 #agh2 to cook1 #caj2 drying of1 #cba4 ,caterpillar fungi1 #bie4 ,catsup1 ,mushroom1 #cbj4 ,champignon ,fairy-,ring1 #bg1 #hg1 #ie2 to cook1 #cji2 dried1 #cba4 ---- ,poisonous1 #ajh1 #aac4 ,chantarelle4 ,see ,cantharellus4 ,chef la mode1 the1 #cje4 ,chemical analysis of fungi1 #ad1 #cjb4 ,chestnut-burr fungus1 #bid4 ,chestnut tongue4 ,see ,fistulina4 ,chicken flavor in mushrooms1 #cjc1 #caf4 ,chinese caterpillar fungus1 #bif4 ,cicada fungus1 #bie4 ,classification of fungi1 #gg1 #gh4 ,claudius1 ,emperor1 poisoned1 #ei4 ,clavariei1 #bca1 #bdg-bef4 ,clavaria1 ,various1 #aj1 #aa2 amethystina1 fastigiata1 flava1 rugosa1 stricta1 umbrina1 #bee2 ---- botrytis1 #bef2 ---- formosa1 #bdg2 to cook1 #cag2 used as salad1 #cai2 to dry1 #cbb4 ,club fungi4 ,see ,clavaria4 ,cogomelos4 ,see ,pasture ,mushroom4 ,colored plates of the book1 #ci4 ,coniomycetes1 #gh4 ,consomm from mushrooms1 #cae4 ,cooke1 ,rev4 ,dr4 ,m4 ,c41 #dj1 #ei1 #bad1 #bcg1 #bgc1 #bie1 #cjf1 #cjg1 #cac1 #cae4 ,bibliography1 ,nos4 #ab1 #af1 #ag1 #cbf2 ,no4 #ah1 #cbg4 ,cooking fungi1 #gb1 #cjf-cbb4 ,coprinus1 #hg2 to dry1 #cba2 ---- atramentarius1 #aa1 #bg1 #bh1 #afa1 #afc2 ---- comatus1 #aa1 #hg1 #aed-afj4 ,coral fungi4 ,see ,clavaria4 ,cordier1 ,f4 ,s41 #bdf1 #bdh1 #cjf1 #cai4 ,bibliography1 ,no4 #be1 #cbg4 ,correspondents1 #b-f4 ,cortinarius castaneus1 cinnamomeus1 violaceus1 #aa4 ,cosmopolitan fungi1 #ab4 ,coulemelle4 ,see ,pasture ,mushroom4 ,crimson ,boletus1 #bac4 ,cryptogamia1 the1 #g4 ,crystals on drying fungi1 #bbg4 ,culinary treatment of fungi1 #gb1 #bad1 #cjd4 ,cultivation of mushrooms1 #he1 #hf4 ,bibliography1 ,no4 #h1 #cbe2 ,no4 #bc1 #cbg4 ,cup1 the1 in ,amanita1 #bi1 #cc1 #dg1 #dh1 #eg1 #gd1 #bgc4 ,currie1 ,dr41 on ,amanita poison1 #fj4 ,curtis1 ,rev4 ,m4 ,a41 pioneer ,american mycophagist1 #i1 #cb1 #dj4 ,curtis's1 ,rev4 ,m4 ,a41 list of edible mushrooms1 #i-ab2 quoted1 #bai1 #bde1 #cja1 #cah4 ,bibliography1 ,no4 #a1 #cbe4 ,cystidium1 the1 #gg1 #bef4 ,deadly mushrooms and toadstools1 #b1 #c1 #dc-gd4 ,deaths by fungi1 #dc1 #fa4 ,decaying fungi1 #f1 #be1 #cj1 #bgh4 ,delagrave1 ,c4 ,h4 ,bibliography1 ,no4 #bf1 #cbg4 ,desiccation of fungi1 #ajg1 #aai1 #bdf1 #bfb1 #cba4 ,diagnosis and treatment of mushroom poisoning1 #ch1 #fc-fh4 ,doe-skin mushroom4 ,see ,hydnum repandum4 ,dried fungi4 ,see ,desiccation of fungi4 ,dufour1 ,j4 ,constantin and ,leon4 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