The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-05-05

49, - -.--------.--l4..s---" :
curt house they'll 90 well. That has,
zen there about thirty years and /
ont believe it has varied two min
ties in all that time And it was
,uilt by Montpelier man, too"
Soon the mushroom will make its
appearance, and the knowing ones
will feast on that delicacy until af-
ter the first frosts of autumn. The
ones will do well to let
It alone. One of the most attractive
looking specimens is the most dead
ly. Some others that look good are
not edible.
There is no general rule by which
good fungi may be distinguished from
the dangerous kind, and / suppose the
first experimenters must have leara-
ed by eating them. A poisonous |
mushroom or toadstool is one Of the |
nest poisonous things in the vegeta
BILE kingdom, and for the poison of
some varieties there is no known re-
lief Bear this strongly in mind when
you HE gayly forth to bring home a
basketful for consumption, and re-
member that some of the more pois-
onous varieties will poison the good
ones if placed in the basket with
them. A wholesome, intelligent fear
is mighty good companion to take
along when gathering mushrooms.
Yet, if one will exercise ordinary
care and prudence, not get "chesty"
land assume to know things he has
not learned there is no danger The
different varieties must be learned
just as different kinds of apples are
learned. Each variety has distin-
gushing characteristics by which it
may easily be identified, and the poi
sonous amanita family is as plainly
marked as any.
most easily recognized and is a deli
cately favored growth. 1t must be
gathered when the inner flesh is
white and firm, before it has begun
to turn brown, which is the first step
n going to seed. These usually grow
in clusters, sometimes in the open
fields, sometimes under groups of
shrubbery and sometimes beside old
stumps. There is no other growth OF
the kind that resembles it and no one
need be afraid of gathering anything
else by mistake for the puff ball
They are usually small, not larger
than an apple, but sometimes one is
found weighing as much as thirty
pounds.
Two kinds of mushrooms, the oy.
ster and beefsteak, grow on trees
usually naples that have begun tC
decay. Any fungus found growing OF
tree trunk may be tried with impu
nifty. Some of them are not edible
being too hard and woody, but non,
l of them is dangerous.
I There is a variety looking some
thing like boletus that springs W
: rapidly near the Church of the Mes
= siah and looks as if it might be eooC
= to eat, but it is always attacked b.
insects or begins to decay before i
has appeared above the ground ant
?, is worthless Avoid every such growtl
n that has been attacked by insects.
I At several points along NAH
t street, when the season for them ar
rives, may be gathered the shagg,
name, looking like miniature fold
: ed Japanese umbrella and usual,
t having a number of brown freckles
S which is one of the most delicate fla
: vored of mushrooms.
IT.
S Don't take any stock in putting
t silver coin or spoon in the vesse
: where they are cooked and calm;
S them safe if the silver does not turf
: black. That test is of no value what
=, lever. Go to the library and stud,
n the mushroom book. Better still, ge
e some one who knows mushrooms t,
show you the different varieties. Re
member that the mushroom is
: highly concentrated heterogeneous foot
: and should not be eaten too freely
i and if you hope to avoid a sickness
o which will make you want to die i'm
e mediately. don't eat fish and mush
f rooms together. There is stor,
S about this that | will tell some time
s but this is enough for one talk OIL
o fungi
n It's encouraging TO see the Cit
i Council and Loomis street propert!
s owners getting together to talk owe
t the matter of site for the new
Q school house good and kind" TIL,
f matter ought to be settled one wa!
[ or another at once. The city need!
a new school house and the peopl,
know it, and whatever difficultie.
stand in the way of getting it should
6 be removed just as promptly as hui
oil