The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-07-08
Edible Fungi,

Very few specimens Of fungi are popu
larry recognized as being edible while
preutlce in some cases. and fear OF
poison in others, will always prevent
additions to the small number now used
az food Great caution is undoubtedly
| proper in the essay of the uutntd
| species; but prejudice and ignorance
should not stand in the way and prevent
the use of the maby Csculcnt Spcclts
which are allowed TO rot in untold
thousands. Science will no doubt dlssl-
pate these fears aud preiUdices, and
make to our food crop large ana cheap
addition.
In Great Britain thousands of people,
particularly of the lower classes, Will
eat no mushroom except that known rs
field mushroom, whiio III Italy and
Hungary strong prejudice exists
against this same species This preln-
dice arises from the fact that other fnngi
are confoundcd with it through ignor-
ancc, and fatal accidents sometimes
occur which would beprevented by oh,
| serving that the true field mushroom
always has purple spores, g,lis at iirst
| of pinl, color and aiterward OF purple. q
permanent ring or collar around the
stem, and that it is never found IN
woods, its homo always being ON the
open plains or commons.
The meadow MUSHROOM grows in low
| land pastures, and has a stronger flavor
than that of the fields In England it
/ is sold IN great quantities and is there
| known ~ the "hOrse mushroom be.
cause of the enormous size 1t ntiaIns, Il
single specimen sometimes weighing
fourteen pounds. In addition to the Sc
| two there are forIy-nlne other varieties
Of mushroom that are known to bot
anjsts ~ esculcnt ard excellent. some of
them attaining diameter of fourteen
inches, others five or six inches, and
another, "tho nail fungus" scarcely eX-
cecding one inch in diameter.
Hills, plains, valleys, fields and pas
lures all over the world are rs alive with
these nutritious fungi as the soil OF
Nebraska is with grasshoppers Mil
! lions of tons Of them are allowed to rot
where they spring up, simply because
| Ignorance or fear prevents their utlllla'
ton as food. 1t is true that the dis
tiBctions between the edible mushroom
and some OF its unpleasant cousins can
not be easily understood by any but
botanists, and yet this difficulty might
be materially obviated if botanic writer's
would d scribe the distinctions in words
that could be popularly understood, or
thnt ot least NAV be found in diction.
aries. The botanical nome nclature may
be az good as it is ingenious, but tC
non. botanists it is as incomprehenslblt
as the inscription on the ElRin marbles
Let it be preserved ior bookworms, /
need must, but let 1t be also translated
for common use
Among the remarkable esculents q
this class may be mentioned the " bee
steak fungus" 1t is Juicy and flesh,
and its sections resemble beef III al
pearance. DIR. Badham, a student I
fungi, found one OF them five feet
circumference and weiTb no eigl
, pounds, and another wat % ~" Inv
DIR. Graves, nearly twenty ic' n .
: conference and weighing thirt. }, j
: 1t grows in parts OF Germany |httt
is sliced and eaten with salad, and 1t
t highly esteemed as nutritious food
species of puff ball, botanicnlly know
r as iycopcrion qigante''oi when sg"n =,
a il Of n cream like consisteuce ana ~
excellent addition to the Dreahias
= ncuu A single one IS large enough
g fe Il ten or twelve persons, ana som
uou,hora of the species are good sub
y llolli e. trntiI.s. A specimen men
Q s.nru s;aned in the Gardeners Cnronicl
! weighed ten pounds and was three fet Q,
! fon9 inches in circumference. - Balt
! | mar, Sun,