gin and the stern. Of the former group, four species occur in 

 ]S^ew York; of tlie latter, only two, and these are of very rare 

 occurrence. Their scarcity and their small size make them of 

 comparatively little importance as an article of food. 



JSTo morel is known to be poisonous; they can therefore be 

 eaten with considerable confidence, even if the specific distinc- 

 tions are not well understood. Two or three species of stinkhorn 

 fungi, Phallus impudicus, Phallus duplicaius, &c., have heads 

 with similar cavities after the spores have been shed, but in these 

 the stems are porous — that is, full of minute pores or cavities — 

 and the head has an apical aperture; and, moreover, the plants 

 have such an intolerable odor that no one would think of eating 

 them. The species of the first group are more common, and the 

 plants themselves are generally of larger size, and it is to this 

 group we must look for our chief supply of morels. To it belong 

 the Common or Esculent morel (Morchella esculenta), the Coni- 

 cal morel (M. conica), the l^arrow-cap morel (M. angusticeps), 

 and the Delicious morel (M. deliciosa ). If any one of these mo- 

 rels is cut through the middle vertically, it will be seen that the 

 head is hollow as well as the stem, and that the cavity is con- 

 tinuous from one to the other. 



All the species occur early in the season. Some may be found 

 as early as April, especially in the States south of ^NTew Jersey 

 and Pennsylvania. In iSTew York, they are found in IMay and 

 June. I have never seen one growing here later than June. 

 They occur mostly under trees or in thin, open woods, or along 

 the borders of more dense woods. A favorite habitat is under or 

 near pine trees and ash trees, though it is not impossible to find 

 them under other trees. They are not averse to sandy soil, pro- 

 vided rains are frequent and moisture plentiful. 



For the benefit of those who may wish to distinguish the spe- 

 cies, the following synopsis is given : 



SPECIES OF MOECHELLA. 



Margin of the cap imited to the stem, 1. 



Margin of the cap not united to the stem, 3. 



1. Cap rounded, oval, or nearly so, M. esculenta 



1. Cap conical or oblong-conical, 2. 



1. Cap oblong or cylindrical, M- deliciosa 



2. Cap distinctly broader than stem, M. conica 



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