VEGETABLE FOODS IN GENERAL 113 
Fic. 119.—Field Mushroom (Agaricus campestris, Gill-mushroom Family, 
Agaricacee). Fruit-bodies, natural size, in various stages of growth. 
a, “‘button stage,’ in which the regions of stalk and cap are just dis- 
tinguishable; b, a somewhat later stage, cut vertically to show the 
“‘gills”’ just appearing below the cap; c, a still later stage, similarly cut, 
in which the gills now fully formed are yet protected below by the 
membranous ‘“‘veil’’; d, stage in which the cap is almost expanded, 
showing on its under side the veil partly torn from the edge and ex- 
posing the pink gills; e, final stage in which the cap is fully expanded, 
and the veil, now entirely free from the rim, remains only as a ring 
around the stalk. (Luerssen.)—The gills, at first pink, turn finally 
dark purplish brown, owing to the formation upon them of dark dust- 
like “‘spores”’ which fall from the exposed gills, are carried away by the 
wind, and give rise to new plants when favorably placed upon well- 
manured ground. These spores first produce a network of threads 
which feed upon the decaying materials, and finally send up the fruit- 
bodies above the surface. 
less. Every summer brings the sad news of children and older 
persons horribly poisoned through ignorance of our common- 
est plants. In a large proportion of these cases the plant 
eaten has been one which was thought to be harmless be- 
cause it somewhat resembled a cultivated species or was 
mistaken for some harmless wild plant that is commonly 
eaten. Hence it should be remembered that, even though 
a wild plant looks like a familiar garden vegetable, there 
may be danger in eating or chewing any part of it. 
40. Vegetable foods in general. In the foregoing sec- 
