310 



MUSHROOMS, EDIBLE AND OTHERWISE 



thick or thin, entire or lacerated. Spores elliptical, 6-8x4-5. The plant is four 



to six inches high. I 'ileus three to six inches hroad. Peck. 36th X. V. State Bot. 



A. silvicola is very closely related to the common mushroom. Its chief 



differences are in its place of 

 growth, its being slender, and its 

 hollow stem somewhat hulbous at 

 the base. I have found it many 

 times in the woods about Chilli- 

 cothe, although I have never suc- 

 ceeded in finding more than one 

 or two at a time. I have always 

 put them with edible species and 

 have eaten them when thus 

 cooked with others. 



Because of the resemblance 

 which it bears, in its earlier 

 stages, to the deadly Amanita, 

 one can not exercise too great 

 care in identifying it. It grows 

 in the woods and is found from 



FlGUHB -'51. Agaricus silvicola. One-half natural size. J 111 } l< _> V/CIODCI. 



Agaricus arvensis. Schacff. 

 The Field or Horse Mushroom. Edikle. 



Arvensis, pertaining to o Held. Pileus is smooth, white or yellowish, convex 

 or conical, bell-shaped, then expanded, more or less mealy. The gills are crowded, 

 free, generally broader toward the stem; at first whitish, then pinkish, finally 

 black-brown. 



The stem is stout, equal, slightly thickened at the base, smooth, hollow or 

 stuffed, ring rather large and thick, the upper part membranaceous and white, 

 while the lower or exterior surface is thicker, downy, radically split and yellowish. 



The spores are elliptical, .0003 to .0004 inch long. 



This plant grows much larger than the common mushroom, and may be 

 distinguished by the collar being composed of two parts closely allied to each 

 other making a double membrane, the lower part being much thicker, softer in 

 texture and split in a stellate manner into hroad and yellow rays, as will be seen 

 in Figure 252. 



I found it very plentiful in Wood County, Ohio, and in quantities in 

 Dr. Manville's yard in Bowling Green, Ohio. I ate them frequently and gave 

 them to my friends, who all voted them delicious. 



