8 Report of the State Botanist. 



places there are depressions or swales. In these, several species 

 of sedge grow and other plants fond of moist or wet soil. The 

 whole area was strongly suggestive of an old worn out or aban- 

 doned farm. There was no evidence of former forest growth on 

 it nor was it clear why trees had not occupied it. One guide 

 claimed that fire had destroyed the timber but I saw no remains 

 of charred trunks to bear out this claim. The indications point 

 rather to poverty of soil as a partial explanation of the absence 

 of forest trees and yet this is evidently not the whole nor a very 

 satisfactory explanation. 



The newspapers have recently reported several cases of mush- 

 room poisoning. This emphasizes the importance of a more 

 general and better knowledge of these plants and more care in 

 selecting and eating them. It indicates that the action of the 

 Board of Regents in directing the preparation of life-size colored 

 figures of our edible and poisonous species of fungi and plain and 

 simple descriptions of them was wise and needful. It is very 

 desirable that the appropriation necessary for the publication of 

 these plates and descriptions be made at the coming session of 

 the Legislature. The question is often asked, how shall the 

 edible mushrooms be distinguished from the poisonous or danger- 

 ous species. The answer is, there is no simple or peculiar mark 

 or character by which they may be distinguished. It is necessary 

 to know and to be able to recognize each species used for food 

 by its own specific characters. All not known to be safe 

 eating, should be rejected. This is the rule in the case of 

 the higher orders of plants. A considerable number of species 

 are known to be good for food, a few are known to be poison- 

 ous, either in root, herbage or fruit and a • much larger num- 

 ber, while neither hurtful nor edible, are regarded as either 

 worthless or useful for other than edible purposes. We 

 invariably recognize those used for food by their own 

 specific characters and do not look for any single 

 mark or character by which to distinguish poisonous 

 plants or fruits from edible ones. Sometimes the good and 

 bad are closely related botanically and accidents happen from 

 a failure to recognize specific characters. Thus poison hemlock 

 is sometimes mistaken for sweet cicily, both belonging to the 



