Evening journal., 1901-10-30
MUSHROOMS PLENTIFUL
In FIELDS OF COUNTRY

One of the home naturalists. who
| loves fields and woodlands for their
own sake calls attention TO the fine
! supply of mushrooms to be found this
season. oddly enough, while these
seem to be a natural food for the poor
they are eaten mainly by people who
can afford a liberal diet without them.
For the man whose luxuries are mainly
bacon, potatoes and liver, the mush-
rooms offer a change well to be desired.
However. there is among this class a
! linking suspicion that poison resides in
every fungus growth and death is
sure to follow any departure from the
routine of living. Hence he hooks with
suspicion upon the common meadow
delicacy growing near his door.
The ordinary mushroom, Agaricus
lcompestris. well known everywhere for
it's fine flavor and edible qualities, is
readily distinguished. the younger
specimens having pink gills. while the
gills of the older are brown. The ones
growing in the open fields are white in
color and have a smooth base, not bull
bous.
| The poisonous mushroom which
grows in the woods. looks much like its
tulult Cbunlns DhN us klilo dlt WAiAANs
Not all mushrooms growing in the
woods are poisonous. Several not so
we'll known as the meadow variety,
are delicious when prOfusely served
and are wholesome as beef or poultry.
Probably the most common are the ros-
sulas, having a lat top. usually some
what sunken in the centre, like the i'm
preston made by a blunt cone With
bright red or pale green tcp and
smooth base, this kind is plainly
marked. and none of the poisonous
kind resembles it closely. or would be
easily mistaken for it. The rossulas
are perfectly harmless and very nice.
Another quite common mushroom
has a hemispherical top and is notified
black and white with a loose scale. II
too. is good for food.
The common puffball or devils bis
lcuit. of the meadows. is to be found
from early August up to the coming OF
heavy frost. It is globular in form
and sometimes as large as loaf oi
bread. although usually about the size
of tennis ball. If gathered before it l.
too old and watery. the puffball may be
sliced and fried. It is quite good and
perfectly harmless. No member o.
this group is harmful.
Another variety the boletus, or beer
steak mushroom. grows out like
bracket from the side OF a stump, par
ticularly on old chestnut stumps. !
is reddish in color. and II broken. vii
shcw this tint all the way through. It
name is given on account of its colo
and shape
Almost everyone who collects thes
fungus foods has his own fnvorit
ways of cooking. and as no two hav
precisely the same taste it is Useles
to suggest ways of cooking, other thar
to say that as the mushrooms are ma
ture's own substitute for meats. the
may be cooked in almost any of the or
= dinary wavs.
= For novices who undertake to collec
them. it is we'll to begin with a stud
lof the varieties. A few differen
E species may be learned and care talel
8 Ito select these only, thereby assurin
It lsafety and comfort. There are severa
varieties which. while not deadly. ar
apt to produce unpleasant effects Onl
n one or two kinds are deadly and thes
g are the wood species, plainly marke
j. and not likely to be mists ken for thei
Il harmless relatives.
l. In these days the book market
II we'll stocked with works ON mycolog-
telling all about the foods so easily
collect and also the varieties which al
harmful. Books Of this kind are chea
IS and are illustrated with colored plate
SO that the observer need not so astra
in his search
- "But you don't ketch me eGtin' nor
o of them toadstools. says a man WI
4 lives near a place where mushroom
ls abound. "a