This muslirooni has long been held in high estimation. ITav- 

 ing once graced the table of a lionian eniperur, it received the 

 name Ca3sar's mushroom. One ancient writer terms it "Cibud 

 Deorum," the food of the gods. It has also received such names 

 as Imperial mushroom, True Orange, Yellow Egg andKaiserling. 

 All authors who have written of its esculent qualities agi'ee in 

 calling it "delicious." Cordier says it is an exception to the 

 general rule uliich makes young plants better than mature ones, 

 implying that it is just as tender and good when old as it is when 



voung. 



There is a poisonous species witlnvhich a careless person might 

 confuse it. I refer to the Fly aniauita, Amanita muscar'ia, 

 which is sometimes called the False Orange. In size, shape and 

 color of the cap there is a similarity between them, but in other 

 respects the two are very different. They may be contrasted as 

 follows: 



Orange Amanita, Edible. — Cap smoofJt, gills yellow, stem yel- 

 low, wra]>per persistent, membranous white. 

 Fly AMANITA, Poisonous. — Cap warty, gills white, stem white or 

 slightly yellowish, Avrapper soon hreahing into fragments or 

 scales, white or yellowish. 

 '\Miile the Orange amanita is a king among mushrooms, and, 

 from its symmetrical form and briaht colors is beautiful to be- 

 hold, the Iteddish amanita, .4. rubescens, has a peculiarly sordid 

 and uninviting appearance because of its dingy colors. The 

 color of the cap is quite variable. It may be whitish tinged with 

 dull pink, or it may be grayish-red, or even brownish-red. 

 Sometimes the margin is paler than the centre, and again there 

 [may l)e darker reddish stains in various places on it or on the 

 stem. The cap is usually warty, but the warts are easily remov- 

 able, and are sometimes washed off by heavy rains. The mar- 

 gin is generally even, but in mature plants it is sometimes marked 

 with slight striations. The flesh is white or slightly tinged with 

 red. "Wounds on any part of the plant sometimes slowly assume 

 a reddish color, luit this is not a constant character. 



The gills are whitish, sometimes marked with reddish stains or 

 spots in mature plants. They are mostly narrower toward the 

 stem than toward the margin. The stem is of a pale or whitish 

 color, and often liears dull, reddish stains or marks, especially 

 toward the base. It has a bulbous base, the bull) being some- 

 times abruj)t and sometimes pointed below. It is commonly a 

 little scaly, branny or mealy in young and fresh plants, but fre- 

 quently smooth in mature or old ones. It is either stuffed or 



43 



