General Features 29 



could make large wages collecting and selling these plants, and 

 with little effort the people would learn to esteem them as they 

 do oysters now. There is no reason why they should not be as 

 commonly exposed for sale by grocers as they are in foreign 

 countries." 



Since the fruiting season of the morel is short, they could 

 be collected and dried for future use, thus making use of the 

 excess crop. In Europe they are often strung and hung in 

 festoons in the houses, much the same method as used in drying 

 apples in early days. 



All of the species ot Morchella are edible, not one of them 

 having even been under suspicion. The following directions 

 have been given for preparing and cooking: "Having washed 

 and cleansed them from earth, which is apt to collect between 

 the plaits or hollows of the plant, dry thoroughly in a napkin 

 and put them in a saucepan with pepper, salt and parsley, 

 adding or not a piece of ham. Stew for an hour, pouring in 

 occasionally a little broth to prevent burning. When sufficiently 

 done, bind with the yolks of two or three eggs and serve on 

 buttered toast." These directions may be varied to suit the 

 taste. They may be cleaned, stewed and fried in butter, the 

 stewing being essential, since they are rather inclined to tough- 

 ness. 



19. Classification 



A classification of any group of plants should serve two 

 purposes: first, to offer a convenient arrangement of the species 

 treated and, second, to show, so far as possible, the natural 

 relationship existing between the various members of the groups 

 and subgroups. The principles of classification have always 

 been a bone of contention with the morphologist, as the idealist, 

 on the one hand, who is clamoring for a classification based on fun- 

 damentals only, and the taxonomist on the other, who is com- 

 pelled to use so-called superficial characters which may or may 

 not show natural relationship. 



Some morphologists even contend that there is no use trying 

 to work out a real classification of any group of fungi until we 

 know the life histories of all of the species composing the group, 

 especially the details of sexual reproduction, assuming that it 

 exists. Of course at the present time this is only a "pipe dream" 

 and while waiting for the morphologist to work out his ideals 

 the taxonomist will be compelled to use the characters which 



