PAGE 4. 



The antidote for this poison is found in the skilful use of the alkaloids from the family 

 of the Solanacese or Nightshades, especially in subcutaneous injections of Atropine. But to the 

 public generally, in oases of poisoning, no other advice can be given than to call a physician 

 without delay. 



Plate VI. represents several members of the Russula family. Having once learned 

 to identify it without danger of error, this family is quite safe for use as food ; for 

 all the non-esculent Russulas are hot or nauseous to the taste, while the edible ones 

 are very nutty and pleasant. The student should, therefore, taste each specimen when 

 preparing them for cooking. 



Some authorities consider all Boleti fit for table use, but there are those which 

 are too bitter for food, and one such as the specimen numbered 1, Plate XI., would 

 spoil a whole stew. The tubes of this Boletus (felleus) are light rose, although they 

 appear to be white when fresh and young. A good rule for amateurs is to avoid all the 

 lurid Boleti ; by this is meant all those that have the slightest shade of red to the tubes, 

 although I have often eaten .of such. The mild-colored members of this family, having 

 white, yellow, or greenish tubes, if pleasant to the taste, may be considered safe eating. 



Plato VlLL. represents some of the esculent puff-balls. There are some warty 

 fungi growing on wood, which, in early growth, resemble puff-balls, whose qualities are not 

 yet known. But all those varieties of clear white fungi, which appear in little balls on 

 the open ground after rains, may be eaten with perfect safety, if fresh, white inside, and 

 hard ; if soft and yellowish, or black in the pulp, they should be avoided, as they are 

 approaching decay. 



The most important advice to the student is to learn to recognize the Amanita 

 family, and to avoid them all ; next, to define and recognize any mushroom he is using 

 for food, so that he could pick a single specimen of the same out of a basketful of 

 assorted fungi ; and finally, never to pick mushrooms at random for food, unless he has 

 tested by actual use each and all of the varieties so used. There is a large family of 

 mushrooms resembling the Russulas, which exude a milky juice if broken or cut. The 

 amateur will do well to avoid all such, although they are esculent where the milk is 

 mild to the taste. Additional plates, displaying other varieties of esculent mushrooms, 

 may possibly be issued in the future. 



JULIUS A. PALMER, JR. 



