Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-10-25
THINGS WORTH KNOWING
ARnII1 MUSHROOMS.

In the dark shade of lofty pine trees
and under spreading oaks in more open
woods a mushroom IS found so REMARK
able in color and graceful in form that
its beauty has excited admiration Tor
hundreds of years. The color OF It's
bright Orange cap and its chalk white
stem and gills is heightened by the sur
n k of the woods n
presents a contrast as singular as 1t Is
beautiful.
But beneath the pleasing exterior of
this brilliant fungus a poison turks SO
fatal to the lives OF men II cattle that
1t is called the deadly alnanita, and in
different countries mothers caution
their children to beware OF its charms.
Amanita muscaria. the deadly, or lily,
amanita. is completely encased in a
fieece-like covering during the early
stages of its growth, which makes 1t
decidedly e~gg-shaped in form. AS the
stem iengthens this covering either ad-
heres in loose patches TO the top of the
cap or it slips away and forms IL
sheathing to the cup at the base of The
stem.
Another inner covering breaks away
In its turn from the cap as the mush-
room expands ana forms n conspicuous
collar about the upper part of the stem.
The Dubious base of the stem n these
ruptured. fleecy coverings are pro
nounced characteristics which are most
helpful In distinguishing this dangerous
fungus from the other varieties of
mushrooms.
1t is strong. free from pests and
grows to a height from fourteen to six
teen inches. IL color the cap is some
times bright scarlet. again orange or
yellow or reddish in the center and
light yellow toward the edges. and it
has noticeable wartlike patches spread
over the top. on old plants the color
fades out, and late in the season par
ticularly forms of the deadly amanita
are found which are almost white. The
stem is easily separated from the cup
at its base.
This mushroom is more generally
known than any of the other poisonous
species. 1t has long been used as a
fly poison In Europe. n 1t takes its
name. muscaria, from the Latin word
for a fly. Its poisonous effect upon hui
man beings begins a few hours after
1t has been eaten. The symptoms are
nausea and faintness. with cold per-
SEPARATION n stupor, followed in Sc
we're cases by death from a gradual
weakening of the heart.
A strong emetic should be given at
once, and in all cases a physician
should be called. Sulphate OF atropin
is the only known chemical antidote
for this poison, and to save the patient
1t must be promptly administered by
~hypodermic injections.
The poison may also be absorbed
through the pores of the skin, and bad
cases of poisoning have been produced
by simply holding an manita in the
closed hand or breathing it's exhala-
tons In q warm room.
If poisonous mushrooms are packed
In the same box With edible ones the
virus from the poisonous fungi is alb
sorbed by the harmless mushrooms,
and they hnnnYpa pS do Cnrry1 70 nnt
as the original offenders.
In certain countries the deadly anna
nlta seems to lose some of its virulen-
cy. and in the north of Russia and
parts OF northeastern Asia it is used
In the same as wine for it's
intoxicating effects. The mushrooms
are gathered in hot weather and are |
hung up in the air to dry, or they are
sometimes picked fresh and put into
soup or sauces. A small amount swal- |
lowed whole is enough to produce a
days i%ntoNication.
Another fatally dangerous member
of the amanita family is the death cup
(Amanita p%halloides). a beautiful
mushroom which also grows in the
woods. especially in pine forests. 1t
is not so highly colored as the deadly |
amanita. and. unlike that mushroom,
1T has a smooth, satiny cap. 1t is
usually white or straw colored. hut
~ iCuiii NiltI are lISIlI
brown. green. yellow and spotted. The
stem Is white and nearly smooth. and
the cup at the base Of the stem is in
variably present.
The death cup Is even more poison
Gus thar the deadly amanita and stands
first among all noxious fungi for it's
poisonous qualities. 1t grows In the
eastern and middle states and in par
ticularly large quantities near the city
OF Washington.
Another amanita (Amanita ~vernus),
found in the woods in spring. is also
very poisonous m may be told by its
color which is a creamy white
throughout.
The boleti. for instance, have sew
eral varieties which are nonedible, all
though many kinds. on the other hand,
make delicious food. The boleti are
distinguished by a spongelike surface
OF pores instead of gills beneath the
cap. The harmful varieties are bitter.
as a rule. n change color to blue or
red when cut or broken. The edible
varieties remain white.-Annie Cakes
Huntington in Youths Companion.