Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-31

1t Would BE Well Worth While for the PEG
pie OF This Country to Grow Them,

1t Would Be Well Worth while for the Peo-
pie OF This Country to Grow Them,
A PAMPHLET has BEEN PUBLISHED
"A by the United States government for
the purpose Of instructing thepeople Of this
country regarding the edible qualities of mush-
rooms.
China did this . century or more ago, The
STAR is informed. For ever 90 many years
past the authorities Of that nation have pub
lished annual treatises for gratuitous distribu-
ton describing the different herbs which are
susceptible Of use for food. One Of these
treatises, called the "Anti- Famine Herbal" con-
sists Of six volumes, containing descriptions
with illustrations Of over 400 edible plants.
These volumes are Of inestimable value in
districts where the ravages Of insects, drought,
&C., have destroyed the grain and rice crops
and famine is imminent. Mushrooms of various
species are among the useful growths dis
cussed. As for their value as a comestible, it
is sufficient to say that they compare favorably
ment II their cultivation could be success
fully fostered In this country most valuable
food-producinR industry would be brought
into being on the hither side Of the Atlantic.
In France mushrooms form a very large art
icle Of consumption and are widely grown.
Mushroom beds are cultivated in caves, fire.
quently miles in extent One cave ut Merry
contains more than twenty miles OF beds and
produces not less than 5000 pounds Of mush-
rooms daily; another at Frepillon has sixteen
Paris and vicinity, and the caves Of
Moulin de Ia Roche, Sous Bicetre, and
Bagneau produce immense quantities Of mush-
rooms. They are all under government super
vision and are regularly inspected like the
mines. The mushroom cultivated in these
nna rria nd al tn no NJ
all others is the SNOWFALL" Another fungus,
the trufie, is largely exported from France,
the quantity produced for foreign markets
being not less than o., 900 900 worth yearly.
Edible mushrooms of many varieties grow
largely in the United States without cultivation.
Few Of them, however, are used, owing to the
inability Of most people to distinguish the
available varieties from the poisonous ones
In order that this difficulty may be to some ex-
tent done away with, the pamphlet spoken Of
has been issued by the Department Of Agricul-
ture.
The list Of edible fungi Is very remarkable
one. Most surprising among them is one native
to New Zealand, which grows out Of the body
Of . large caterpillar. practically converting
the latter into vegetable substance. The
springs upward through the soil until it
reaches o height Of eight or ten inches. It
is eaten by the Maoris, who employ it also
when burned as Q coloring matter. Another
fungus from New Zealand is used by the
Chinese for soup, also for medicine and for
making valuable dye for silk. The natives Of
Australia use largely truffle, which obtains a
weight Of more than two pounds and is known
under the name of ''native bread"
The Japanese grow several species Of edible
fungi from logs Of decaying wood in q manner
peculiar to themselves. Among the north
eastern tribes of Asia one species Of fungus
when pounded is utilized as snuff, while
another, regarded in Europe as poisonous, is
employed by these people of the orient as a
substitute for ardent spirits, one large specimen
being sufficient to producs a pleasant in
toxication for a whole day.
In most European countries mushrooms
brought to market are regularly inspected
and sometimes taxed, the former precaution
being taken to exclude poisonous varieties
The traffic Of the world in this sort Of fun
gous food amounts to many millions Of dol
lars yearly. This is almost the only nation
which does not recognize it as . source Of main
tenance and revenue.