182 MUSHROOMS, EDIBLE AND OT HERWISE 



The stem is solid, blunt, pubscent, white, tapering downward. Spores white 

 and nearly smooth, .00019 by 000 34 inch. 



This species is quite common ; and though very acrid to the taste, this acridity 

 is entirely lost in cooking. It will be readily known by the downy covering of the 

 cap. Found in thin woods and wood margins. July to October. 



Russula. Pers. 



Russula, red or reddish. The beginner will have little difficulty in determining 

 this genus. There is such a strong family likeness that, finding one, he will say 

 at once it is a Russula. The contour of the cap, the brittleness of its flesh and of 

 its stem, the fragile gills, and the failure of any part of the plant to exude a milky 

 or colored juice, the many gay colors will all help in determining the genus. 



Many species of Russula strongly resemble those of the genus Lactarius, in 

 size, shape, and texture. The spores, too, are quite similar, but the absence of the 

 milky juice will mark the difference at once. 



The cap may be red, purple, violet, pink, blue, yellow, or green. The colored 

 zones often seen in the Lactarii do not appear here. The beginner will possibly 

 find trouble in identifying species, because of variation of size and color. The 

 spores are white to very pale yellow, generally spiny. The pileus is fleshy, convex, 

 then expanded, and at length depressed. The stem is brittle, stout, and smooth, 

 generally spongy within, and confluent with the cap. The gills are milkless, with 

 acute edge, and very tender. 



Captain Mcllvaine, in his very valuable book, One Thousand American Fungi, 

 says: "To this genus authors have done special injustice; there is not a single 

 species among them known to be poisonous, and where they are not too strong of 

 cherry bark and other highly flavored substances, they are all edible ; most of them 

 favorites." I can testify to the fact that many of them are favorites, though a few- 

 are very peppery and it requires some courage to attack them. 



Thev are all found on the ground in open woods, from early summer to late 

 fall. 



Russula delica. Fr. 



The Weaned Russula. Edible. 



Delica means weaned, so called because, though it resembles Lactarius vel- 

 lereus in appearance, it is void of milk. 



The pileus is quite large, fleshy, firm, depressed, even, shining, margin in- 

 volute, smooth, not striated. 



The gills are decurrent, thin, distant, unequal, white. 



The stem is solid, compact, white, short 



