MUSHROOM GROWING 



and bacteria, the flesh becomes yellowish, 

 purplish, or otherwise colored or discol- 

 ored, and in this condition no species is 

 wholesome. There are only a few small 

 species of the puff ball family which have 

 a brow^n or black flesh. These are indi- 

 gestible at least, and may be cast aside as 

 undesirable. White flesh may be consid- 

 ered an all-sufficient indication of edibility, 

 and this is so unmistakable that it is evident 

 one may collect and eat puff balls at will. 

 By the simple rule of using no form with 

 colored flesh no mistake is possible. 



Aside from the w^ild forms of Agaricus 

 campestris and the morels, there are prob- 

 ably no other species of fleshy fungi which 

 are now so generally collected and eaten 

 as two species of these puff balls, namely, 

 Calvatia cyathiforme and Calvatia gigantea. 

 I cannot regard the edible qualities of these 

 two species as entirely comparable with that 

 of many of the agarics, yet they are suffi- 

 ciently attractive in flavor to meet with gen- 

 eral favor. More important for the ama- 



184 



