Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-10-08
MUSHROOMS DUE
DURING OCTOBER
DELlCACY MAY NOW BE SOUGHT
BY THOSE WHO ARE
FOND OF 1T.
A GROWTH POSSESSING SOME
ECCENTRIC CHARACTER
ISTlCS.

ITO all things the seasons seasoned
are" says an old axiom, and Tenny-
son has declared, In the spring a
young mans fancy lightly turns to
thoughts of love"-and hundreds of
mushroom lovers, with the knowledge
that late rains have washed into the
ground the fertilization of the sum
mer, and sunny days have baked the
soil we'll for the development of the
dainty they love, have gone foraging
far afield, since this delicacy rarely
! shows itself in dooryards, or even on
lawns subject to much soil feeding.
Even to one trained by years of OBJ
! servation and experience, the danger
Of poisonous relations is ever in mind,
though with knowledge risk seems far
| removed.
Old theories and statements are as
often disproved in regard to mush-
rooms as in everything else. For in
stance, a man who has grown them
from spawn under glass, and gathered
them in many states and lands for
half a century, found them growing
luXuriantly in a neW-made lawn re-
Gently pIowed over and seeded down
with grass and clover.
Thirty years ago, when the lawn
was a field, he had occasionally found
a dozen or two at a time, and when
he saw the men blowing he remem-
bered the common decree that such
treatment killed all germs. Yet mush-
rooms recently gathered on this
plowed field measured over twelve
inches in circumference. In two days
he had gathered a bushel and was
able to discard all but the best.
A popular idea is that the button is
the best, while, to the contrary, mush-
rooms fully developed and even lack
ing the pink color so attractive are
much finer favored. OF course, the
older they are the more rigid must be
the dissection, looking for the newt
able worm, as fond of the delicacy as
the veriest gourmand.
The limestone lands are the most
productive, and it is worth noting by
mushroom growers that the applica-
ton of Stacked lime to the soil might
for this reason encourage a formed
growth under glass or in mushroom
cellars. In the limestone fields of Eng
land they grow abundantly and are of
fine flavor.
Many believe that mushrooms are
only to be found on low, moist lands,
while they have been gathered on the
sandy hillsides of Long island with
good results as to quantity and flavor.
Nature is often whimsical and
likes to show she is not entirely gov
erned by hard and fast rules, and it
is folly to believe mushrooms can
only be found in certain places and
under certain conditions.
The directions given by profession
al growers for the artificial produc-
ton state that the temperature of the
atmosphere must be kept between so
and 60 degrees, in order to insure
their growth, while on Long island
explorers have often gathered them
in the fields as late as November, and
when the night frosts were severe
! enough to stiffen the surface soil.
Thirty-odd years ago, at Roslyn,
Long Island, and expert and high
priced gardener planted spawn in the
greenhouse cellar, with the promise
that six weeks later he would supply
mushrooms of quality and quantity.
| He failed to prodce even one-or the
soil did-and, though the spawn and
conditions were first class, no mush-
rooms appeared But a few years
later this soil was removed to a
small conservatory near by to furn'
| ish nutriment for big tree fern, and
here the result was what the gardner
| had promised from the orthodox plant
! ing. In six weeks from the time the
old soil was put about the fern, the
mushrooms began to arrive and con-
! tinue to do so for quite while, thus
showing that the germ or spawn may
remain in a dormant condition for a
long period of time.
| A delicious way to serve them IS to
/ butter a dish and sprinkle with a first
| layer of bread crumbs and alternate
| layers of mushrooms and bread
crumbs with bits of butter, pepper
and salt and a liberal supply Of butter
over the last layer Of bread crumbs.
Rich milk or half cream poured over
each layer makes proper finish, and
mushrooms so cooked are fit for
for those who enjoy them.
Mushroom Ketchup.
| Now that October is here arm your
self with reliable mushroom "dont's''
and large basket and go far afeld
until you find the fresh and fragrant
fungus. Pick peck at least, then HE
you home and turn that peck into a
small quantity Of mushroom ketchup.
Break them into an enameled pan,
sprinkle salt among them and cover
them with light layer Of it, a cup
full being sufficient Cover them for
two days, stirring them occasionally
during the time, then strain them
through hair sieve. To each quart
of liquor allow three blades Of mace,
one-half ounce of black peppercorns,
one-half ounce of sliced ginger and
few cloves. Boil the juice for 10 min