Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-22

Consul Jone. sends Secretary Blaine q Curl
o.ity From China.


e.ity From China
VIE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HAS JUST
l. received from Consal Jones az ChInkiang.
China, a small bottle containing some spcci-
mems Of the curious fungus that grows out IL
species OF csterpiLsr. literally Transforming
the animsl into vegetable and causing the I'M
happy Insect to serve the purpose OF = root II
Is the larva Of q kind Of moth. and. when the
cold OF winter approaches. Z, makes lie way
down into the soil TO the depth Of three or four
inches. There il is attacked by thu. remarka-
Die disease and regularly sprouts. sending mp a
long shoot which appears and fruotifies above
the ground like any mushroom. forming spores
for the purpose Of it's own reproduction The
natives Of Thibet and in the provinces o, HUI
peh and Szechuan 40 about looking for tln.
fungus in the neighborhood Of certain sort Of
myrtle trees. where only 10 IL 10 be found.
They dig up such specimens as they discover
and make them into little bundles. tied with
red thread. In this shape they are sold as Q
medicine. which ~ esteemed II possible more
mighty than the famous ginseng being consid-
erca powerful curative agent Tor diseases Of
the throat and lungs. Thus prepared for mar
ket they look like diminuiive buir1ishcs. each
having tor its root the mummy Of q caterpillar.
Now, this fungus has other method Of
growing than the ono described. Therefore
soS ttASbAeutt Top Nu0t I AnCNe ground
scatters Its spores around under the scarlet
Powered myrtles on which the cateruillars
feed. When the latter burrow into the soil 60
hibernate they are apt TO stir up some Of the
hostile germs. whereupon they are at once
| attacked and speedily transformed into Vece-
| table tissue Their bodies. without losing their
| natural shape or external appearance are
wholly filed with the mycelium, aud the sub
| stance of their flesh Is metamorphosed into
| stalks sprouting from their heads. Thus Is
rEah1 l.. -
organisms which insects in summer and
plants IN winter. OF course a sufficient num-
Der OF these afflicted lArvn mus. escape this
fate to perpetuste their species from year TO
year and to supply reproductive opportunities
CurIously enough, the common white grub,
which IL the larva OF a beetle IL in many parts
OF the United states attacked by fungus in q
| manner IN all respects similar. Ii has been
suggested thPt measures might be proftably
taken to artificially inoculate this destructive
worm on a large scale with the disease. with q
view TO bringing about its partial or entire ex-
termination. Thus far no economic has
been found for the sprouts produced. In New
Zealand there grows out Of the body Of a big
caterpillar surprising edible mushroom. the
| stalks OF whichar eight 20 ten inches In length
| and are much priced by the natives article
OF food. The latter also burn il for use ~ Q
| coloring matter. There is fungus found in
| Costa Rica which in the same wAy employs a
| Kind OF beetle for its root one might say.
The Japanese grow several species Of edible
fung1 in logs Of decayed wood, after a fashion
| peculiar TO themselves. One species Of mush-
room, which il utilized IN Europe for killing
| flies. being regarded one of the most poison
Gus forms, is employed By the NORTHEASTERN
| tribes Of Asia as a substitute for ardent Spirits,
one large specimen being sufficient to produce
| a pleasant intoxication for n whole day. These
same people use another kind Of agaric.
pounded, for snuff. BY the Chinese still
| another variety IL made, 20 serve as q valued
| dye for silk. However, these are only few Of
the existing curiosities in the fungus line.