33 



of mushrooms but unacquainted with their taste, and especially 

 for the novice in either capacity, are these: If you know a mush- 

 room, and one which by common report is harmless and edible, 

 eat of it sparingly, till you find out by personal experience that it 

 does not disagree with you. If you wish to test species entirely 

 unknown to you, first cut out a small piece of the solid meat, us- 

 ing special precautions to see that it is not invaded by the larvae 

 of insects, and chew it up, not swallowing the fragment or its 

 juice. If it has a very bitter taste, discard it at once. If it has 

 a peppery or acrid taste, be equally careful, or swallow a little 

 of the juice to mark its effect. This is well, as many of the best 

 species when cooked lose the acrid or peppery taste of the raw 

 plant. On the other hand, most of the harmful species, excepting 

 some of the Amanitas, have at first a disagreeable, acrid or pep- 

 pery taste; so one should exercise the utmost care where any of 

 these tastes are present. When, on the other hand, the plant has 

 a good smell and a taste like raw meal, or perfumed like fruits of 

 various kinds, or not objectionable in any way, it may be reason- 

 ed that it is probably not harmful, and a little of the juice maybe 

 swallowed. If it is found after the lapse of an hour or two that 

 it has not harmed you, try a larger piece. Mr. Mcllvaine, the 

 gentleman above quoted and who has experimented with and eat- 

 en more toadstools than probably any other person in the 

 United States, says, " But many species, delicious when cooked, 

 are not inviting raw. Cook a small piece, do not season it. Taste 

 again; if agreeable eat it (unless it is an Amanita). After several 

 hours, no unpleasant effect arising, cook a larger piece, and increase 

 the quantity till fully satisfied as to its qualities. Never vary this 

 system, no matter how much tempted. No possible danger can 

 arise from adhering firmly to it." Some of the commonest ways 

 of cooking mushrooms will be given at the end of this bulletin. 



Where Do Mushrooms Grow ? 



The answer is brief wherever other plants grow. Some gen- 



