MUSHROOMS 309 



has long since taught the people some kinds that 

 tlioy can eat without danger. It is a good thing to 

 conform to this usage, which makes us profit by other 

 people's experience on condition, be it understood, 



that we acquaint ourselves 

 with the kinds used. But 

 that is not enough to keep us 

 safe from all peril. It is so 

 easy to make a mistake! 

 And then, go to another 

 place and you will come 

 across other mushrooms 

 which, while apparently of 

 Mushrooms the same family as those 



you have known as eatable, will be dangerous. 

 My rule of conduct is, you see, absolute: you must 

 Ix'ware of all mushrooms; excess of prudence is nec- 

 essary here." 



"I admit with you," said Simon, "that it is im- 

 possible for us to distinguish at sight the eatable 

 from the poisonous kinds; but there are ways of 

 deciding the question." 

 " Tell us how." 



"In the autumn we cut mushrooms in slices and 

 dry them in the sun. They are rxn-llent food for 

 winter. The poisonous mushrooms rot without dry- 

 ing. The good ones keep. ' ' 



"Wrong. All mushrooms, good or bad indiffer- 

 ently, keep or spoil according to their more or less 

 advanced state and according to the weather at tin* 

 linn- <>f pivparatinii. This characteristic is of n<> 

 value whatever 



