SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF MUSHROOMS. 229 



rium they must be protected from insects. Some are already infested 

 with insects which the process of drying does not kill. They must 

 be either poisoned with corrosive sublimate in alcohol, or fumigated 

 with carbon disulphide, and if the latter it must be repeated one or 

 two times at an interval of a month to catch those which were in the 

 egg state the first time. When placed in the herbarium or in a box 

 for storage, naphtha balls can be placed with them to keep out insects, 

 but it should be understood that the naphtha balls will not kill or drive 

 away insects already in the specimens. Where there are enough 

 duplicates, some specimens preserved in 75 per cent, alcohol, under 

 the same number, are of value for the study of structural characters. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF MUSHROOMS 



FOR THE TABLE, 



In the selection of mushrooms to eat, great caution should be em- 

 ployed by those who are not reasonably familiar with the means of 

 determination of the species, or those who have not an intimate 

 acquaintance with certain forms. Rarely should the beginner be 

 encouraged to eat them upon his own determination. It is best at 

 first to consult some one who knows, or to send first specimens away 

 for determination, though in many cases a careful comparison of the 

 plant with the figures and descriptions given in this book will enable 

 a novice to recognize it. In taking up a species for the first time it 

 would be well to experiment cautiously. 



No Certain Rule to Distinguish the Poisonous from the Edible. There is 

 no certain test, like the " silver spoon test," which will enable one 

 to tell the poisonous mushroom from the edible ones. Nor is the 

 presence of the so-called " death cup " a sure sign that the fungus is 

 poisonous, for the Amanita ccesarea has this cup. For the beginner, 

 however, there are certain general rules, which, if carefully followed, 

 will enable him to avoid the poisonous ones, while at the same time 

 necessarily excluding many edible ones. 

 1st. Reject all fungi which have begun to decay, or which are 



infested with larvae. 



2d. Reject all fungi when in the button stage, since the characters 

 are not yet shown which enable one to distinguish the genera 

 and species. Buttons in pasture lands which are at the surface 



