The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-10
T0ADsTOoL EATING.
The Popular Ideas Regarding Mushrooms
and the Scientific Facts = Valuable Ad'
vice Concerning Their Use as Food.

| bhAb6 w SoJ @N~NNNO~f~
are nasty things; nobody knows any
thing about 'em." .1 ..- H.. .I
Ny critic was mortified when l. was
introduced, but forgave her, for she re-
fiected the sentiment of the majority.
Just this mystery led me to study this
neglected science. In boyhood all my
questions about animals, birds or fishes
were answered, but when broke open
then snowy puff-ball the inquiry was
met With, ''It's toadstood child; throw
it away, it's poison"
Magazine literature offers little more
information, There is the rapidity OF
growth story, of the fungus that grew
from iron in one night; the Emperor
Claudius story, he was poisoned by a
boletus; the CzarNicholas story-he died
from muscarius; the Russian intoxi-
cant-funfus story, and other traditional
lore displayed by facile writers and un-
informed editors year by year,
Encyclopedias gave few facts, some
Latin names representing esculents, 9th
er names denoting poisons; finally, say
ing that the common mushroom might
be noxious under certain unknown con-
ditions, and is so esteemed in Italy; both
utter falsehoods. .
Could not chemistry assist meI | car
ried vial containing black fluid to s.
Dana Hayes, then one of our best known
assayers, telling him that it resulted
from the deliquescence of fungus;
was answered that some one had de-
ceived me, as nothing was known in ma
ture which would thus liquify; watch
ing the process, the gentleman cheerful
ly acknowledged his error.
What could the doctors offer? A
prominent physician thus wrote me in
1877 /: "If you can give me the name OF
an author treating Of the subject, or re-
fer me to an article, you will confer
great favor and receive my heartiesl
thanks. l must plead to a lamentablt
Ignorance, which l regret to find / share
with all medical men with whom have
lconversed on the subject"
DR.. d. G. BrInton of Philadelphia
copied into the Reporter an article o.
niue, with this introduction
"The subject is 80 important, and thu
information on it in the text books 81
vague, that this cannot fail to be wei
come to many readers"
Botanists afford little aid. DIR. Curti
of North Carolina had the courage OF hi
convictions and used many edible fungi
vet a letter from him not thirty year
old expresses surprise that a mushroom
which will Iiquify could be eaten. Mr.
Sprague of Boston told me that he at
only mushrooms from cans when h
tasted them at all. Prof. Farlow o
Harvard is authority on MICROSCOPIC
fungi, but nothing from him in regart
to those of larger growth has ever me
nv eve. Prof. Peck of the Universit.
of New York in long series OF report
affixes names to numbers OF Varietie
saying nothing about their qualities
iMr. Frost of Vermont does the same; II
both these cases the classification serv
ing to perpetuate the circumstances un'
der which some plant was handed to tn
gentlemen.
The standard foreign text books prin
the word poisonous indiscriminatei.
against any unpleasant plant; thus lint
it in my library against members OF
family called the Boleti, another, tn
Lactarii or milk mushrooms, their neigh
bors, the Russula-and also the Amani
ta, although the last named is deadl.
poison, and the others simply disagrea
BILE, or having acrid properties subduet
by heat. Two charts sent me by Prof
Palmer of Harvard from his recent tri
TO Europe, presumably new and author
itative, repeat the old, worthless tradl
tions aud signs TO enable one to tell
mushroom from toadstoo'.
II seemed TO me in 1874, aud it appear
80 still, that such general ignorance a
-xlsts in regard to large. well detine'
and important natural kingdom is moth
ing less than disgrace. Icould readil
poison a whole family with liquid, tn
material for which l would gather II
any grove; such should have neithe
taste, smell nor color, no immediate ell
fects, yet death would be inevitable; n
chemist could detect its cause; few med
ical men would suspect it.
My first article was in the Poputd
Science Monthly, May, 1877, but the mos
valuable one could not find market ii
America. 1t was published by the Mon
iteur Scientifque in Paris, February
1879. while was in command of tn
ship Island Home, then lying at Mar
seilles. 1t was the first attempt, 80 Ia
as know, to segregate the Amanita
from other nonresident mushrooms, Il
define the action of poison to be founC
by every wayside, to show how useles
had been ordinary remedial measure
and make important suggestions, Dr
Brinton copied it, and his columns, DE
cember, 1885, contain communication
from other pens, directingly alluding t.
it and confirming its every detail.
Whatever may have done has beel
accomplished in the moments OF forrs
recreation at intervals IN busy life; 1t
most valuable fruit is in the numbe
now interested compared with thos
who cared anything about il 10 year
ago; some of these will doubtless ad
vance far beyond my own ambitions o
attalnments.
At the earlier epoch mycologists hat
strange jealousy of tearing away tn
mys terry, and the unscientific had sign
to tell mushroom from toadstool.
could fill a volume with the shrew'
hints have received in my walks. Th
aristocratic test was always to be sur
that the mushroom would peel. A kim
adviser thus dIssented from my selection
in opposition to such distinction
"If you are going to feed your friend
on those things you'd better invite th
undertaken, and tell him to bring alon
as many coffins as there are seats at tn
table,
Another gentleman was surprised I
see my basket well filled in the after
noon; he thought. like the mama Of ar
cient story, mushrooms only came in tn
morning.
At an early day in my atudies it wa
predicted that / would soon leave vulga
toadstool eating and seek initiation int
the privileged class
"Never," exclaimed; ~ may seleC
twenty varieties, easily recognized, ad
wise that all others be let alone. and TO
low my own counsel, but / shall nc
pass by such to examine organisms RI
quiriDg lenses 10 veryify their very e1
istence." ..... .rr. tH
Every mushroom is toadstool an
\ every tOadstool is a mushroom, exactl
] as every plant is vegetable and ever
vegetable growth is plant.
! The only excuse for popular ignoranc
j; Of this axiom is that there is one varIet
which is susceptible Of cultivation
:. which has a world wide reputation,
: commercial value. Therefore this on
variety is called a mushroom; the nine
ty-and-nine are all called toadstools.
"There; are those good to eat y
chance caller will demand Of me, empty
ing basketful down in my Office.
When reply that in those" are in
cluded poison enough to kill dozen pei
cons and esculents sufficient for famil
meal, and point out the distinctions, N
visitor shakes his head incredulously an
adds ..rtf. .I.fI .#. ..
II don't see any great difference.
wouldn't risk my life on such littl
. thing as that" .H.H .s