Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-02
TYRoLEAN MUSHROOMS.
Big as kittens-PeriIs of Collecting.


We Europeans think of America as a
country given somewhat to exaggera-
ton, when it comes to the production
of trees, fruits and other vegetable
growths. The little Austrian T'yrol is
sometimes given to exaggeration In
this direction too.
In front of our house, which hung
over a blue depth of valley, and chung
to the mountain side like a tarnacle
to rock. a space was dug out so that
one could walk for as much as three
yards on the level. Once leave this
space and one either climbed upward
balanced on the slant, or plunged
downward.
Around the house and bordering the
road that led up the mountain, were
italian chestnut trees so large tnat IL
took from three to five of US to span
the trunks of most of them. Under one
of these one evening 1 saw crouching
what 7 took to be a small, dark gray
kitten STOPPING, l found that 1t was
net kitten, but a mushroom
Our good peasant neighbor, hurrying
toward me, begged that 1 would not
disturb it, saying that she depended on
rain, what had seemed a kitten. now
looked a stately cat, and when It reach
the weight of six pounds it was gath
cred and eaten.
IT seems that this solid growth of
gray velvet fleshy leaves appears every
year on the roots of these big chestnut
trees. The next day 1 promptly scaled
the mountain and hunted round every
Zig chestnut tree I came to. In vain. 1
got finally so high up on a steep, gras-
sy slope that in order to return l had
to resort to a method which we had
commonly adopted as the safest way of
descent.
CroucLing down I slid rapidly down
the grassy coast as though it had been
iced and landed on my head in nice
soft swamp.
AS sat up with disheveled hair and
very wet shoulder, l saw two ladies
hurrying toward me. The one in i'm
maculate white, stately with shining
white hair and delicate features, might
have been the Snow Queen come down
the mountain to my rescue. Her COM
panion, a woman of about 90, with
highly aristocratic features, wore a
mannish suit of light flannel, sandals
en- her bare feet and had big cigar IN
her mouth Finding that was unhurt,
they said they had lost their way ana
inquired the shortest route to the near
nv town of Brixen. Having seen from
the point whence 1 had SO rapidly de-
seconded that a fierce storm was close
ur,on US. / urged them to take shelter
with me in my house, and we bounded,
rolled. tottered and slid down the
mountain, gaining the shelter just as
the flooding rain burst upon us. After
pleasant chat, during which they told
me where the best mushroom grounds
were. they resumed their way, leaving
cards which read, Princess So-and-
So" and Countess So-and-So' of Vi
emma. SO this was all l brought nome
on my first mushroom expedition.
The rain soon improved matters anu
next time went bagged a mushroom
weighing 1-2 pounds. l FOUND IL lo
Joke getting it and myself safely down
the mountain. It had to be chopped me
and boiled a long time. changing the
water. But finally with plenty OF poeeer
and onion we had delicious stew, anu
as every bit of the 91s POUNDS was eoi-
HE IT lasted us many days and reduced
Atbe butchers bill surprisingly peihS
solid as meat.
Later in the season after more ram l
went on another mushroom hunt. rms
time I found six small gray mushroom
slSittens" nesting among the great
roots and covering them care1uliy
from the gaze of greedy eyes l lell
them to grow.
after three days of rain the sun
hurst ont in a revel Of color. Inc OF
anee gold and black OF the WOODEN
houses glowed against the PUPPIES anu
hIues and the brooks tumbled anu
laughed at every turn. 1 went up .he
mountain reckoning, six mushrooms
weighing from six lowell, L Will le.ve
one TO grow till it weighs 1t POUNDS NO
MORO butchers bills for this month!
halfway up the mountain met
FOUR friars clad in brown with ropes
round their waists and bare feet Each
fr,ar had on either arm huge hat
basket piled up with these strange
roagnificent specimens of gray velvet
growths- .,,sa
am afraid you think that because
the size of these mushrooms mas grown
| So RAPIDLY in this tale that the tale can
&c on expanding like these a1ter ram
unfortunately it can't because
when reached my trees there was not
a mushroom left.-Boston TRANSCRIPT.