Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-24

Knew an ageu uame VINO was 'hiate
oracle on this as well as other topics. and
who ate aud dispensci toadatools on the
above ~. StrRr Ee @ Say. slf lived 10
40 81. age. a1a n lpcreIsed mortality
| cha IS rtsili OF her generosity.
| Ho, ,hege popular notions sustained
| by the facts?
| Many. indeed a majority OF the most
! delicious species twill not peel at all /:
others change color, turning blue or green
| or tawny almost Instantly. on being
| broken, while the most deadly Amanita
| peels with a certain degree OF accom-
mediation which would at once seem to
| settle it, claim as mushroom" has,
moreover to many, an inviting odor ana
a pleasant taste when raw. and when
I cooked, giving no token OF its fatal re-
sources until from six to eight hours after
being eaten. when its unfortunate vic
tim is usually past hope-absolutely So in
the absence OF the proper medical treat
ment. in the administration Of atropine in
| hvpodermic injection In LEO grain doses.
this deadly drug having been only re-
Gently discovered to be- an effective anti
dote to the amanitine, the poisonous
principle OF the amanita fungus.
AN ANNUAL CROP or Nc,
rpon a certain spot on The lafA cr.
of my neighbors. year after year. without
fail there springs up most singular crop.
For the first two years OF its appearance
IL WAS looked upon with curious awe by
the proprietors of the premises. and usual
" ANONYMOUSLY spurned with the foot
by the discriminating and destructive
small boy. one day I observed about five
pounds of this Delmonlco delicacy thus
scattered piecemeal about the grass. and
my protest has since spared the annual
hQnaHt lIgtfallx
makes it's appearance In late September.
and continues In intermittent crops until
November A casual observer of this
cluster OF edible toadstools might imagine
that he beheld convention OF goose
eggs standing on end in the grass. their
SUBMITS more or less spotted with brown.
II one Of them is examined. IL IS
seen 10 be n curious short-stemmed
mushroom which never expands. per-
haps inches in height, and whose
surface is curiousy decorated with shay
gy patches. In its early stages IL IL white
and singularly egg-like, but later becomes
brownish. and its shaggy points almost
black. The concealed gils are crowded
and Of equal length, az first creamy white,
but gradually changing through a whole
gamut Of pinks, sepias, and browns until
they become jet-black. at which time the
whole substance OF the cap melts or
deliquesces into an unsighty inky paste.
which besmears the grass and ultimately
leaves only the bare white stalk standing
in its midst This Ii the "shaggy-mane'
mushroom. Coprinus comatus. II Is a
savory mOrsel. and IL cannot be confound-
cd with any other fungus. II should be
gathered in the white or pink stage. and
may be prepared for the table in various
ways, either broiled or fried. as described
for previous species with milk.
PCFF-BALLS AS FOOD.
II will surprise many to know that the
plebeian puff-ball Of our pastures is good
for something besides Old-fashioned styp-
tic. smoke. ana the kick Of the small boy.
There are "A number OF species of the
pun ball, varying In shape and size from
the small, white. glObuar variety To an
inch I'm diameter. and the pear-shaped. 10
the giant pasture species which may attain
the dimensions Of a football All are edi-
BILE, if gathered at the white stage. those
OF yellow or darker fracture being ex-
cluded. OF the esculent qualities Of the
larger species. Lycoperdon giganteum. we
may judge from the statement of a con-
nosseur. SLICED and seasoned in butter
and salt. and fried I'm the pan. no French
omelet is half as good I'm richness and
delicacy OF flavor" NJ. G. Cooke, the
British authority says OF it: "In its young
and PUPPY condition it il excellent eating
and, indeed. has but few competitors for
the place OF honor at the table"