378 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The composition of the edible fungi is shown in the following- table: 

 Composition of edible fungi. 



Boletus edulis 



Agaricus deliciosus 

 Cantharellus eibarii 



Water. 



Per cent. 

 84.19 

 89 98 

 90.93 



Water-free substance. 



Protein. Albumin. Fat. ^^g 7 " Cellulose. 



Per cent. 

 47. 36 

 31.66 

 20.84 



I'er cent. 

 27.90 

 21.41 



13.71 



Per cent Per cent 



3.08 34.81 



6 16 51 04 



7.35 68.80 



Per cent. 



5.58 

 3 60 

 3.79 



The ash constituents of the 3 varieties of edible fungi were as follows: 

 Composition of ash of water-free substance of edible fungi. 



It was found that from 15 to 19 per cent of the total protein could be 

 extracted with water. Therefore when mushrooms are prepared for 

 the table it is recommended that they be washed with small amounts 

 of water. 



For the digestion experiments the fungi were dried at low tempera- 

 ture and pulverized. They were mixed with water when fed. The 

 rabbits were accustomed to the fungi by feeding them in increasing 

 amounts with milk, sugar, and cocoanut cake. Three experiments 

 are reported. In the first 20 gm. of Agaricus deliciosus wasted daily 

 with water for 11 days. During the last 4 days the feces were anal- 

 yzed. In the second test, which lasted days, the rabbit received 

 the same food as in the first with 8 gm. of sugar in addition. In the 

 third test, which lasted 16 days, the rabbit was fed Boletus edulis with 

 sugar. Tests were attempted with Cantharellus eibarius, but the rabbit 

 would not eat this even with sugar. The first rabbit weighed 1,421 

 gm. at the beginning and lost 30 gin. daily, the second weighed 1,937 

 gm. and lost 23 gm. daily, and the third weighed 1,890 gm. and lost 

 10.2 gm. daily. 



The results of the tests are shown in the following table: 



Coefficients or digestibility of edible fungi. 



Rabbit l . 

 Rabbit 2 . 

 Rabbit 3-. 



Dry 

 matter. 



Per cent. 

 63.2 

 72. 3 

 84.9 



Protein. 



Fat. 



Per cent. Per cent. 



70.9 i 81.7 



75.3 j 94.3 



83.8 74.2 



Carbohy- Crude 

 drates. fiber. 



Per cent. 

 62. 7 

 72.2 



88.7 



Per cent. 



Asb. Albumin. 



Per cent. 

 51.1 



75. 3 

 85.6 



Per cent. 

 60.5 

 81.1 

 83.8 



Amid 

 nitrogen. 



Per cent. 

 90.2 

 89.4 

 89.8 



