Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-11-24
Delicious MUSHROOM
IS Often DANGEROUS
Deaths From Poisonous Vari-
cites Estimated at 100
Yearly in U. S.
EXPERIENCE
is NECESSARY

WASHINGTON. Nov. a. - Mush
rooms. which belong 10 "A group Of
plants known as fungi. have been
used as an article of food for hum
dreds of years. TO the ep cures of all
countries these delicate plants are n
demand because Of their delightful
woodland flavor. In China and Eu-
ropean countries they are gathered
10y the poorer classes. Although these
people have learned Icy experience 10
tell the difference between the com
mon edible and poisonous forms,
deaths among them from mushroom
poisoning are frequent Even IN The
United States II is estimated that
about loo persons die each year from
mushroom poison ng.
In order that the public may know
The distinctions between The ed bic
and ,he poisonous species, a botanist
OF the Smithsonian Institution makes
the following statement
the popular terms "mulhrOoms'
and "tOaststOols' are vaiuoless when
one attempts TO dinorentiatc betwee
those two types Of flung There are
also number of so-called tests which
are absolutely unreliable Each kind
grows ON lawns. i'm open fields. and in
he woods. The saying that q mush-
room because II is found in an open
field is. therefore. not TO be relied
upon. nor can reliance be placed
upon tests based on odor and taste
Some of our most poisonous forms
have both excellent mushroom Ike
4 1tF
no indication. for there are poisonous
and edible forms which arc white CT
gray or OF various Other shades.
Neither is peeing p test for cd bic
forms, as some of the mos poisonous
kinds peel easily.
Recently a member OF ihc staff Of
the United States National Museum
came upon group of several persons
gathering one of the most poisonous
species 90 the mushroom. growing
near a sumner seashore resort i'm
wood wh ch IS popular picnic
ground This form IS very enhcing.
because Of its beautiful symmetrical
shape and its snow-wh'te color. But
Il is called the destroying angel"
and If eaten g a deadly poison There
IS no antidote for i-dCath is sure
10 follow
There is only one way OF dist'u-
gushing between edible and pc on
Gus mushrooms and that il by know
ing and being able 10 recognize the
botanical characteristic which the
various forms possess. Br' ely. these
characteristics may be summed up
as follows:
Tho part Of The mushroom which
we see is but the fruit" Of p plant
that grows on dead organic matter
either n the ground or in parts of
trees This plant. which has been
growing below the surface Of the soil
for a ong time. i'm some cases for
years. consists of a fine network of
very delicate threads having the APP
Dearance OF a compact cobweb.
Ordinarily the portion Of the fungus
the earth is not observed: when
fruitng me comes however. this
cobwebby structure sends ont a small
rounded egg like body. known as the
button. The button grows rapidly
and soon bursts. revealing q small
cap-like portion borne unOn a stem.
II is this can and stem which c0nsti- I
tute most of the so-called mushrooms
As the cap and stem enlarge and .
grow upward. port ons Of the button /
sheath nav be either borne upward I
on top IF the cap giving the ca0 a /
warty appearance. or they may pass (
away. The lower half Of The sheath !