Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-10


- ~ IA region. prepared by
DIR. Thomas Taylor,
who has made a life study of these inter-
.stinG plants They are shown as they ap-
GEAR in the woods and fields, some sprout-
ing from green turf, while others spring
lrCm the bark of trees.
1t is a fact well worth knowing that
poisonous mushrooms always grow in woods
or on the edge of woods said DIR. Taylor
yesterday as he pointed out the different
varieties in his collection so far as L am
aware. no dangerous agaric is ever found
on an open field or lawn. The deadly false
orange of which you may see few speci-
mems here. is a plant of the forest Like
other members of the 'amanita' family. it
first appears above ground in the shape of
an egg, which looks like a hens egg stand
irg on end The egg bursts open as if to
hatch out a chick. and from it the mush-
room unfOlds.
zone popularity of this mushroom, which
Is absent in the harmless amanitss. is that
Its red or orange-colCred top is sticky and
covered with wart-like specks. These
s,,ecks are bits of the broken shell. which
adhere to the top account of its sticlEi-
ress. The gills and stems. you observe,
are white. This is perhaps the most poison
Gus OF all fungi. bit no bigger than
pea being enough To kill man. 1t does
not produce any alarming symptoms until
some hours after being swallowed. when
antidotes are Intellectual. Then coma su-
pervenes, followed by death.
1T is Il fact well authenticated that
certain botanist of reputation once partook
Of one Of these mushrooms for the sake of
experiment. though he knew that it was
poisonous. He probably supposed that the
portion he ate too small TO do any
serious harm. However. he died the same
night. man living in New England wrote
me while ago that he and his family had
been made extremely i'll by partaktng OF
dish Of this fungus. Strange to say, they
recovered. and he sent me the uneaten part
of the dish. / left il uncovered at night,
and by morning il had killed pint of flies
which had Toasted upon it, Flies. oddly
enough. very fond of il. Indeed. it is
utilized in Europe a substitute for fly
paper. serving exCellently for that purpose.
There is another Very deadly amanita
which is pure white in all of it's parts
THE true orange variety has yellow gills
and yellow stems. whereas those parts in
the false orange are white. Its top is not
sticky and therefore has no warts. 1t is
one of the most delicious of all mushrooms,
though it is said that one Of the Caesars
died from eating a dish of it. If so. his
trouble must have been Indigestion result
ing from surfeit, for it is entirely harm
less. on the account l have mentioned it
Is called the 'amanita caesarea-
An Easy Test.
ION that tree stump you may see grow
Ing the delicious oyster mushrooms. They
are one of the best of known varieties; but
care must be exercised in gathering them.
because certain members of the same fam
lily and Of very similar appearance are
poisonous. They get their name from the
resemblance they bear to oysters in punches,
though in color they pure white. You
can test them very easily. Break off the
stem and lay the top. gilis downward, upon
a sheet Of black paper. Examine the paper
a few hours later. and it will be found
covered thickly with the spores or repro
ductive germs of the agaric. If the spores
are white. the mushrooms are all right and
may be eaten with safety; but, If pink,
they should be rejected
Here on this oak tree you see growing
several specimens of the extraordinary
'beefsteak mushroom 1t is sometimes
called, from its shape and appearance, the
horse tongue The young ones. you OBJ
serve. are of brilliant red color, while
those more mature are darker. Under
meath they are yellow. When cut into the
flesh looks like beefsteak. and. cooked and
brOiled in slices. the flavor strikingly
sembles that OF meat
Beyond is a group Of 'bOleti.' Some Of
them are edible and most excellent for eat
ing. while others are extremely poisonous.
This specimen. for example. which is of
".
When cut open the flesh turns dark blue
while you look at il. as if a brush full of
paint was drawn across it, That is a very
easy and sure test. All the bOleti that are
white ffesh-colored inside when cut are
good. This variety here is one of the best.
1t grows beautifully near Washington. and
i know a German shOpkeeper who sold $50
worth of them last year. gathered in this
neighbOrhOOd. In Germany every shop that
sells peas and beans and barley keeps dried
bOleti in stock They are common an
NfrN1
dried apples are in the United States.
mo asaric is better for food than The
fairy ring mushrooms, which in this ccun-
try are uneaten. being included in the list
OF deSpised 'tOadstOolS.' Everybody has
seen the curious rings formed on meadows
by these pigmy fungi. No grass grows
within the magic circle which they form.
II Is not surprising that many SuDerStitiOnS
should have been entertained respecting
them, the most popular notion being that
fairies danced the ground bare using the
stools to sit upon between the turns.
LAS a matter Of fact. such a ring has
Its beginning in single mushroom of this
kind. In the process of its development II
eXhausts the nutriment in the soil lnlme-
diately around it, The spores which 1t
scatters do not terminate within the ex-
hausted area. which. for the same reason.
remain bare Of grass. but around the edge
they produce a ring of mushrooms. The
latter when they die leave the bare space
enlarged. while bigger ring of mushrooms
concentr1c with the last springs M. Thus
the Idlfy ring keeps growing bigger and
bigger, until finally it loses it's sorra
The Devils Snun Box.
'Of the well-knOwn puff balls there are
many varieties. All of them are good to
eat that white inside. That test sat
isfied. they may be consumed without fear
When black within they are too old to be
wholesome, the spores having become ripe
Puff balls in this condition are commonly
called devils snuff boxes Here is a kind
of mushroom called 'cOprnus coma-us
When IL decays its flesh is dissolved into a
black liquid. which in ancient times was
used for ink. 1t is absolutely indelihla
The mushrooms which grow on trees
and stumps are generally harmless At
this moment | cannot think Of one that is
poisonous. Certain varieties in this class
attain great size. but OF q pUukv con-
slStCncy and are worthless as food. The
small eSarics with brOwniSh tops which
Ire found sprOuting in clusters from stumps
are excellent eating. though ordinarily con-
3efnned toad stools OF course all
toad stools are mushrooms. The name is
merely a popular term for the non-edible
kinds.
These little fellows with mo,Isa-colored
tops are hrst-rata also. They are found
beueA r.iu -b.