88 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July 



/- 11 . J /-> ^ .1 Dry Matter. Crude Protein. 



Collected Oct. 14th., IQ03. ^ 



^ ' ^ ^ per cent. per cent. 



1. Marasfnius oreades, mature .. . 10 15 4<-7 



2. Coprinns atramentarius 567 i-37 



3. " comatus, immature... g.io 2.97 



4. " " mature... . 6.77 2.71 

 5 '* " old. but firm 6.14 1.36 



In the case of the Marasmius, it was found that 70 per cent, 

 of the crude protein was present as albuminoids. Of the crude 

 protein in mature C. comatus (No. 4), 68 per cent, existed as al- 

 buminoids, a percentage that was reduced to 48 in the older 

 specimens of the same species (No. 5). Unfortunately, by reason 

 of insufficient material, the proportion of albuminoids in the crude 

 protein of Ncs. 2 and 3 could not be determined. 



When it is pointed out that but few of our commonly used 

 vegetables and salad plants contain more han 10 per cent, to 11 

 per cent, dry matter — and many of them, as vegetable marrow, 

 celery, lettuce, cucumbers, &c., do not possess much more than 

 half such an amount — it will be obvious that mushrooms are 

 worthy to rank with these most useful articles of diet. But it is 

 not merely in dry matter that the edible fungi make their claim to 

 recognition as a food. This dry matter is highly nitrogenous. 

 Our data on this point are very clear. Further, these analy>es 

 indicate that the greater part of this nitrogenous matter exists in 

 the more valuable form of albuminoids. In this respect, mush- 

 rooms are without doubt much superior to vegetables and fruits. 



If time permits, this work will be continued during the coming 

 season. There are many other species of edible fungi in abund- 

 ance, in addition to those mentioned in this note, and we hope, as 

 opportunity offers, to ascertain their relative food values. We, 

 further, wish to examine these mushrooms at various stages of 

 growth, for the results from the C. comatus here given would indi- 

 cate a falling off in nutritive value after reaching a certain degree 

 of edible maturity, due to decreasing dry matter and albuminoids. 

 This may only occur in the deliquescent fungi, but it will be in- 

 teresting to have further data upon what must be considered a 

 point of both scientific and economic importance. 

 Laboratory, Experimental Farm, Ottawa, May ist, 1904. 



