COMMON SPECIES OF EDIBLE FUNGI. 



T. H. McBRIDE. 



Many of our Saprophytic Fungi are edible. Some, how- 

 ever, are not. Of these the greater number are simply unpal- 

 atable, woody or insipid; some few are actually poisonous. 

 This last fact has been suffi<»ient usually to exclude the whole 

 class, not from our tables only, but even from acquaintance 

 and experiment. Nevertheless, edible fungi there are, and 

 these, when properly cooked and served, constitute most pal- 

 atable and nutritious food, and well repay the trouble of their 

 collection. 



We have not here opportunity to portray all the edible 

 species of our Iowa flora, but simply attempt by description 

 and tigure to make familiar one or two long approved species 

 which are happily common, and ought to be everywhere rec- 

 ognized and made serviceable. 



The question constantly comes up, " How do you distin- 

 guish a toadstool from a mushroom?" — mushrooms being 

 esteemed edible, toadstools not. It is hoped that the following 

 descriptions, with accompanying illustrations, will at least be 

 helpful to all interested in solving this problem. 



In res feet to form — 



Our edible fungi offer three distinct types, popularly known 

 as Mushrooms, Puff-balls and Morels. This popular classifi- 

 cation is perfectly good so far as it goes; external form and 

 internal structure aUke corroborate it. The Morels proper 

 are, I believe, without exception esculent, yet these, in this 

 part of the world, are least of all known and appreciated. 

 Mushrooms and Puff-balls require close attention and accu- 

 rate discrimination. 



