48 VEGETABLE GROWING. 



MUSHROOMS. 



Mushrooms do not belong to the flowering plants, 

 and are probably on this account not treated in many 

 books on vegetable growing ; while it may not be 

 altogether logical to treat them here, it will be noticed 

 upon observation that the markets class them with 

 vegetables, and any one who has a good knowledge 

 of vegetable growing can become a mushroom grower. 

 The underlying principles are not so different as the 

 unitiated imagine. Under this head are classed 

 many different species of plants belonging to a num- 

 ber of genera. The spawn or "seed" is obtained 

 from wild specimens frequently, but that sent out 

 by seed houses is grown under cultivation. Many of 

 the wild species may be used as they occur in their 

 native habitat, but it is not well for one not familiar 

 with the edible ones to make use of such without being 

 advised by those who are faniilar with the edible ones. 

 While the number of poisonous ones are much smaller 

 than is generally believed, and their poisonous 

 character much less dangerous than many persons give 

 credit for, it is good sense to permit those famiilar 

 with the plants to do the choosing. If one uses spawn 

 sent out by the seed houses and raises a crop from 

 this no trouble need be anticipated, or if those offered 

 for sale are used there is no danger. 



The food value of these esculents is not usually 

 recognized in this country, but they are rather looked 

 upon as tid-bits. They are especially rich in protein, 

 a food element often deficient in our diet. Morchella 

 esculenta contains thirty-five per cent, of it ; Boletus 

 edulus twenty- two per cent. ; while bread contains only 

 eight per cent. France exports millions of dollars 

 worth annually, while our country does not supply 

 her wants. 



