Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-07-30
Mushrooms, Fungi or
TOadStOOIs? Which?
VIM. KoRR GIVES SOME INTEREST.
ING INFORMATION ON WHAT
TO PICK

learn and remember, and is interest
ed in Fungi. (plants without flowers
and seed cones) fatal mistakes in
their use can be easily avoided.
1t is no child's pastime to gather
mushrooms, nor even for elderly peo-
pie, unless they are able to distinguish
between the edible, and non-edible and
poisonous mushroom. Fortunately,
we have only four or five of the non
edible variety and they can be easily
avoided.
From May to late October, warm
rains produce an abundance of mush-
rooms. We may look for them in mead
ows, dung piles, decomposed leaves,
(humus), moss on sunny hillsides and
roadways. Some of them grow in fan
cy fantastic shapes such as: balloons,
balls, clubs, bifdnests, cups, bonnets,
oysters, corals, umbrellas and bugles,
There are so many different kinds
that it is impossible to mention them
all in this article. Most OF them have
only Latin names to avoid error and
a botanist must master that language
before classifying them by name.
About so per cent Of our CONNER,
cial mushrooms come from Pennsy-
lyania, largely raised in dark cellars
and have a well paying value to the
grower. few come from Italy i'll
olive oil some in picked and in pow
der form, from South France, having
a fine rich flavor for gravies and
soups.
| will mention a few varieties, as |
have found them in our neighboring
woods and counties together with
some rules that every picker should
follow
l. Never go picking them alone if
not acquainted with the most common
ones. You must also know the time of
season in which they grow. To collect
during or shortly after rain, is not
good Wait a few hours, take mar
ket basket, a bag will make them
mushy, and when at home, they should
be cleaned, and rinsed in cold water
before boiling or frying. The theory
that a silver spoon or onions placed
In them will turn black if they are
poisonous does not hold good enough
to be safe.
Never pull them out, turn them off,
or cut them off, else you will destroy
the seed bed below as it is composed
of little arteries, called, (mycelium) :.
If you should not find on the same
spot again, there are two reasons for
it, look close around, the wind may
have carried the seed spores away, on
you may have entirely rooted them
out.
2. Do not pick in the button stage,
the common field mushroom then
looks exactly like the deadly Amanita
called Death Cup or destroying angel.
AS long as both are called buttons,
they have veil and do not show any
lamellae, or gills below the cap or
hood. Matured mushrooms show pink
ish gills, small ring on stem called
Amulus Their flesh tastes like Anise
These are sure signs.
The Death Cap has a spotted hood
with partly torn veil, gills below
broad and white, large ring on stem
and dubious growth with cup below.
Flesh tastes like raw potatoes
The mky Coprinous grows mostly
in manure heaps, looks black and sus
picious, but it is very fine mushroom
for soups and to fry. 1t only lasts
from morning to night. At first the
cap is barrel shape and later on bell
shape and black. You cannot make
any mistakes with these, they are all
safe.
g. The delicious Morel, found on
roadsides, and one of the best and
Iafest, season during May and June.
The Cap is conical and pitted, of
'ellowish brown color. Stem stout,
olIow and whiteish. Wash thorough
to remove all grit, slice and stew
18th onions for one.
4. There are several kinds of puff,
Ills, such as hard skinned, leave that
richly alone. All the rest are good
eat and the larger kind furnish a
ny fine salad or can be fried as
eak Giant and brain puffballs are
en- Is and Is inches in diameter.
smaller kind are pear shaped,
ne pinkish Time, August and Sept
Der.
The oyster mushroom found gen
lily in September on deadwood. Cap
leshy and curved, white and brown
color, three to four inches in dia.
er and edible.
The Judas or Jews ear is easily
wn by its earlap. 1t grows on Ell
trees and is a good edible mush-
n.
The Coral mushroom is pure
te, creamy with age, growing on
a trees from July to October and
a very agreeable taste.
Brick Top. Cap brick red with
owish border from 21s to inches
ld Grows in September on messy
nps. Flesh creamy. somewhat bit