- THE MUSHROOM AS FOOD. . 263 
THE MUSHROOM AS A FOOD. 
DR. MARY S. WHETSTONE, MINNEAPOLIS, 
The eating of fungiis ancient in origin and is mentioned in the 
most ancient writings of civilized people. One of these writers de- 
clares that “Boleti were so exquisite that it was not safe to send 
them anywhere by a messenger, for he would be sure to eat them by 
the way. You might send silver or gold but not boleti.” Pliny had 
a great deal to say about fungi, even to directions for cooking them. 
' Ancient Greeks extolled their favorite fungi as “ food of the gods.” 
In Italy, France, Germany and Russia, they may be called the 
“manna of the poor.’ In their markets I saw bushels of them ex- 
posed for sale as commonly as potatoes are here. In some of the °* 
large cities inspectors examine them that no injurious species are 
accidently admitted. In Russia they form the most important food 
of the common people. Tolstoi makes mention of them as one of 
the articles in his diet. In Poland whole tribes are supported 
by them, scarcely any species but the dung and fly agarics being 
rejected. Some that are rejected elsewhere as being unwholesome 
or poisonous, they dry or pickle in salt or vinegar for winter use; 
this process is said to destroy their poisonous properties. A gen- 
tleman while confined in a Polish prison, to amuse himself gath- 
ered and dried kinds found growing inside its walls, some of which 
were reported to be dangerous. Whenthe soldiers found them, he 
_ was surprised to see them eat all of them. Dried morels are sold 
for food in western India, China and Japan. 
In 1837 the Roman authorities made a law, requiring all mush- 
rooms exposed for sale in lots above ten pounds, to be inspected 
and taxed. During aterm of ten years they averaged from 60,000 to 
80,000 pounds yearly. This did not include those gathered for pri- 
vate use or those dried, pickled or preserved, &c. If sucha large 
amount was consumed in one city of Italy,what must have been the 
aggregate amount used in all Italy? 
It is stated that the Chinese government publishes a work of five 
volumes, with plates, entitled ‘“Anti-Famine Herbel.” It contains 
descriptions of 414 different plants, whose leaves, rinds, stalks or 
roots are fitted to furnish food for the people when by any means 
ordinary food is made scarce. Thousands of copies are printed an- 
nually and distributed gratuitously in the localities where most 
needed. 
In various countries of South America, fungi are eaten. In Terre 
del Fuego mushrooms are the staple food for several months; one 
kind growing on beech trees is called ‘summer fruit.” Throughout 
South Atrica and the islands of the ocean,they are consumed by the 
natives. So far as I can learn, they are partaken of by every known 
nation on the face of the globe. 
In the United States this is a neglected article of the vegetable 
kingdom. Our lawns, fields, pastures and woods teem with the rich- 
est of nature’s fruits. It seems a pity that our country people 
should depend upon fried salt pork for daily diet when about their 
doors are growing such an abundance of fungi, such delicious, 
