The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-12

mushroom and is closely related to IL, be-
ing white on top with foliated. pinkish gills
underneath, but it is not nearly as meaty as
the meadow mushroom.
The mushrooms here named are a few of
the edible varieties most commonly found.
If one knows them hey can be gathered
and eaten With impunity, but one should
know them well. The greatest danger is in
mistaking the deadly amanita for the HARM
less and excellent meadow mushroom, yet
these have distinctive diferentiating fea-
lures which are easily learned. One of
these, marking the poisonous mushroom. is
a formation around the base of the stem
ware OF a mushroom that has a dubious
formation at the base of the stem. The
mushrooms that are sold in the open market
are presumably safe because they are cult
waited. but it would not be safe to eat mush-
rooms purchased of a person who NAV have
gathered them in the woods without know
ing anything about them. About six wears
ago Count De Vecclij, an attache of one Of
the foreign legations in Washington, was
poisoned by eating mushrooms purchased
from a farmer living near the city. The
farmer had described the mushroom to the
gentleman. and at his request brought in
a basketful. The gentleman pronounced
them edible. ate freely of them and died in
a few hours. The farmer did not pretend TO
know whether they were edible or not. and
the gentleman was too hasty in his decision
An edible variety not named above and
an excellent eating one Is the common
white puff ball. Found in an early stage
OF its growth, when IL is white and
solid all through. it makes a fine dish if
cooked in slices. 1t is called puff hall"
because when Ii natures il turns ou;ta
dark inside and if broken open IL nufs
out a sort of smoky substance. 1t should
be eaten before 1t approaches this stage
and while it is yet white and solid
throughout. Cut in slices about as thick
as ar ordinary slice of bread and broiled
or fried in butter it is delicious.
The cooking Of mushrooms is very
simple. Some varieties can be cleansed by
simply rinsing in water, though they should
never be soaked, while others should he
peeled like new potatoes. This is particu-
larly true OF the meadow mushroom which.
when peeled, is as white as snow. When
properly cleansed and the stems cut off
about half an inch from the body they may
be fried in butter. broiled and served on
toast. or stewed in gravy and served with
becfsteak. They cook in ten TO fifteen
minutes.
There is a pleasure in hunting mush-
rooms which only those who have expert
enced II can understand. 1t has some
thing of the pleasure Of the chase and
gives one an object In tramping through
fields ard forests almost as IL he were
hunting game. They are an eccentric
growth. and while. as a rule. hey have
their peculiar habitats they are sometimes
found in unexpected places and their dis
covery is always accompanied with a sense
of surprise and pleasure. Sometimes they
seem actually 10 hide in the grass or under
leaves. and again they seem almost TO
spring up while one is standing still and
looking for them-to grow while you wait,
as 10 were.
The imported French mushrooms are of the
meadow mushroom variety and are cult
waited. So are those which are sold In our
local market by the pound. 1t Is only