392 The Book of Woodcraft 



wholesome food but the deadly Amanitas are like ordinary- 

 mushrooms, except that they have grown a little thin, 

 dehcate and anaemic. 



DANGERS 



The New York papers have told of over twenty deaths 

 this August (191 1) through toadstool poisoning. The 

 explanation possibly lies in a recorded conversation that 

 took place between a field naturalist and a little Italian 

 who was indiscriminatingly collecting toadstools. 



''You are not going to eat those toadstools, I hope?" 



*'No! me no eata de toad. My mudder she eata de toad 

 and die; me no eata de toad; me sella de toad." 



All American boys are brought up with a horror of toad- 

 stools that compares only with their horror of snakes and 

 it is perhaps as well. I do not want to send our boys out 

 heedlessly to gather toadstools for the table, but I want to 

 safeguard those who are interested by laying down one or 

 two general rules. 



This is the classification of toadstools that naturally 

 occurs to the woodcrafter: Which are eatable and Which 

 are not. 



Those which are not fit for food, may be so, first, because 

 too hard and woodlike, and, second, because poisonous. 



The great fact that every boy should know is which 

 are the poisonous toadstools. Mark Twain is credited 

 with suggesting a sure test: ^^ Eat tJiem. If you live they 

 are good, if you die they are poisonous. ^^ This is an example 

 of a method that can be conclusive, without being satis- 

 factory. 



What way can we suggest for general use? 



First, remember that there is nothing at all in the popular 

 idea that Doisonous mushrooms turn silver black. 



