The herald., 1896-01-27

abundance of nice mushrooms to be picked
since the rain: am not mycologist, but
the many varieties of edible fungi, besides
the we'll known mushroom, and their great
value as nourishment is ofinterest. 1t has
been found that two ounces of mushrooms
contain all the f1esh-forming and sustain
ing elements of the same number of pounds
of the best beef. While though fungi
stand almost at the foot of vegetable life,
they are more valuable to man as food
than the potato. the cabbage and other
vegetables SO highly esteemed. Many
fungi which are regarded in England and
America as poisonous, form an important
part of the food of the poor in Italy. Ger
many, France and Russia for many weeks
in spring and autumn. Besides great
quantities which are eaten fresh,
largo stock is laid aside
for future use, preserved in oil
vinegar or brine; or, carefully dried,
threaded on strings and hung up to the
rafters like garlic or onions. More than
$4,000 worth a year of mushrooms and
fungi are sold annually in the markets of
Rome. The cultivation of the common
mushroom is familiar to everyone, but
other species of agaricus and boletas are
plentifully raised in some parts of Europe
by watering places suitable for them with
water in which mature plants, abounding
in spores, have been bruised. A much
esteemed variety in Italy is obtained by
moistening a porous stone over which a
little earth has been busted; another good
kind OF the species polyphorus iB produced
by very slightly charring and then water
ing blocks of the common hazel. They are
also grown IN black walnut wood, and
lastly in coffee grounds, specially prepared.
The very common idea that poisonous
fungi can be detected by their discoloring
silver spoon, If they are stirred with it
while being cooked, is erroneous, nor is
any dependence to be placed on the rule
that the more deliquescent fungi are
poisonous. The poisonous varieties may
generally be detected by very offensive
fetid odor, and by an acrid pungent taste
in the mouth. A beautiful omelet, if may
use the word, quite enough for party of
six, may be made by simply frying in pure
olive oil or sweet butter one of those large
puff balls, SO pIentifulIy springing up in
gardens. One delightful variety of the
boletus looks like big piece of liver; it
has great delicacy Of flavor. 1t is popu-
larly called zeigenbart or goats beard in
Germany. 1t is of the utmost importance
that all varieties of fungi should be eaten
as soon as they are gathered, as
they decomposs very rapidly, and
many alleged cases of poisoning are due to
this cause. In tropical countries and, in
deed, in some OF the more southerly Eu-
ropean ones, and in Louisiana and Florida
many large fungi are brightly phosphores-
cent at night. A night or two ago some
were observed by people driving into town
along the Santa Monica road. Many
ghost story. of a hair-raising, blood-curd
ling kind, and apparently we'll authenti-
n1 iUin in str
phenomena. If you feel suddenly, over
poweringly sleepy, dreadfulIy weak, and
the room seems to be spinning round like
teetotum after eating dish of mush-
rooms, she laughingly continued, you may
be sure that you are poisoned. But do not
get frightened and lose your wits; swallow
about pint of good California olive oil,
send for doctor, and you will recover.
j. W. Loring. an old-time Democrat of
Sussex county, Massachusetts, said: 1.-THE
pre- sident's calm craftsmanship under the
trying, emergencies OF the last year has
made him hosts of friends outside of our
party, while it has greatly encouraged us
all in our hopes of electipg a successor to
Mr.. Clevelond who will be worthy one.
The party in Massachusetts is united and
undisturbed by factional strifes. / feel
very keenly the loss of my old friend
Charles Theodore Russell, father of ex-
Governor William e. Russell. We were
both born in the same year-1S15-and
not far from each other at Princeton, Mass.
He was one of the most scholarly lawyers
the Bay state ever produced, and was one
of the professors of the Boston law school
from its foundation until his death last
Thursday. He presided at the last Demo-
cratic convention which nominated his son
for governor" The speaker, who is hale
and hearty at 81, said he was, with his wife
and some friends, touring Southern Cali
fornia. and as he nimbly stepped off a
Maple avenue car he added: I'VE like Los
Angeles very much"
j. d. Milward, retired New York stock
broker, said: am out of the market en-
tirely, but of course feel an interest in the
operations on the street. The financial
outlook is without anything to cause
serious anxiety to investors. The choicer
railway securities are temptingly low and
at no distant day will rule at much higher
figures. In reply to friends question he
said: Los Angeles people will have an op-
portunity to see that charming English ac-
tress, Olga Nethersole, before the winter is
over, and to see also that much talked of
"Nethersole kiss' in Carmen. The EN-
pire theater. where she is playing, has been
crowded nightly, and Charles Frohman is
making barrels of money.
j. G. M. Lopez, Cuban gentleman Of
Brooklyn, N. Y, said last night: Little
reliance is to be placed upon semi-official
dispatches just now, or indeed even upon
the mail advices from persons in Havana
lately to hand. The excitement is so great,