Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-11-05
THE MEADOW MUSHROOM.

Autumnal Mornings Brings 1t Up IN.
All It's Glory.
This Is the season of the year when
the woods and fields break out into
what might seem to the unlnitiated
most strange and gorgeous infiOres-
cence. And they are not really unlike
flowers, these strange forms of fungus
growth of many brilliant hues and a
great variety of shapes. There are
coral and sponge formations, curious,
indeed Great disks of golden yellow,
others Of dazzling scarlet, are like some
tropical plants, which have straye0,
by mistake into our cold New England
woods, looking quite out Of place in
their sober surroundings.
The many pink, orange and crimson
shades in mushrooms are like tulips in
their coloring, sometimes little like
them in form. Then there are waXy-
white and cream, up to deepest brown,
almost black Now and then a vivid
green. Pure white, with a scarlet,
blood-llke spot in the center, hundreds
and hundreds, and seemingly no two
alike. Puff balls, white and brown,
from the tiniest white dot to those O
foot in diameter
How many Of all these mushrooms
are edible we know not, but as friend
| tells Of making a full meal out OF
over 400 different kinds" we should
suppose that many of them, even the
most polsonOus-l looking ones, must be
the very best of eating, and not toad
Stools" as country people designate
each and every mushroom not surely
known to be edible.
But it is not with any or all Of this
magnificence that we have to do; no
vain, and mayhap hazardous, expert
menting is for us. After a little anX-
iOus tentative trying and tasting we
have gone back to our first love among
| the mushrooms, and intend to remain
constant to 1t, and 1t only, forever.
1t Is the modest meadow mushroom
(Agaricus campestris) that we welcome
so eagerly. which begems the greenest
spots in old pastures in the dewy morn
ings of autumn. How the creamy, sat
my disks CLEAN in the morning sun!
We hasten to gather them before the
sacreligiOus feet of careless cattle may
mar their crisp tenderness. The crick-
cts and beetles are often before us,
feasting on the treasured gift Of bene-
ficent nature.
Mushrooms should be gathered care
fully. the earthly ends Of the stems cut
off, then placed, gills down, in bas-
ket, so they will not get broken or sand
get into the deep gills, No peeling is
necessary for these fresh, tender dain-
ties of the fields. Remove the stems,
which, however, can be used If you
WISH looking carefully for the tiny
maggots which often lurk in the cap,
at the top of the stem; but 1t Is not
we'll to be too particular. A true
mushroom lover must not be too par
ticular.
Mushrooms can be boiled, baked,
stewed. dressed with salt, pepper, but
ter and cream, served on toast or
alone, or made into most appetizing
sauces for steaks, chops, etc. They
are, we think, delicious in any way,
only needing sufficient cooking to over
come the strong, acrid taste peculiar to
the uncooked article. The question, of
course, arises how one can tell the
god from the bad, the edible from the
nOn-edible, or, as people generally say,
"a mushroom from toadstoOl."
The only safe way is to know the
mushroom in question, to know 1t thor
Oughly. Find somebody who does
know it to introduce you. You will
never regret it. The meadow mush-
room is common. very, common to be-
come acquainted with. Once really
known it can never be mistaken for
any other. Written directions for dis
tinguishing the edible from the nom
edible mushrooms are often mislead-
ing, and all so-called tests are falli-
BILE.
When you once know this favorite
mushroom, examine each one you pick,
that perchance you may not get one
bad with the good. Even one poison
GUS mushroom would spoil all the in
nocent, delicious ones, and it Is by this
careless gathering and lack of examin-
alton that the many cases of mush-
room poisoning are caused; so, be
wary, my friends, but eat mushrooms
Boston Transcript.