121 
Clitocybe, Tricholoma, and Collybia are usually edible: avoid 
Chitocybe illudens. Vaginata too closely resembles Venenarius. 
Before attempting to use mushrooms at all for food, one should 
become acquainted with the chief poisonous species, if possible, 
by consulting any one of several books on mushrooms to be found 
in the public libraries. The deadly poisonous species are included 
in the genus Venenarius, pane known as Amanita. Venen- 
arius cothurnatus is much more common farther south, and 
V. solitarius can hardly be called deadly. 
THE CHIEF POISONOUS SPECIES 
iil phalloides, V. muscarius, V. cothurnatus, and V. soli- 
tart 
nes illudens. 
Inocybe infida. 
Panus stypticus 
Chlorophyllum Molybdites (Lepiota Morgani). 
Russula and Lactaria, about ten species. 
Rosy-spored species, a few. 
Several of the phalloids, probably. 
Several species not yet tested, doubtl 
ote that no brown-spored, tn ee spored, nor black- 
spored species are listed above, but not all have been tested. 
Nearly two hundred water-color drawings of local edible and 
poisonous mushrooms have recently been installed in the public 
museum of the New York Botanical Garden. These are not 
accompanied by descriptions, nor are the edible species desig- 
nated, but the student of fungi will have no difficulty in recog- 
nizing most of the common local species from these drawings 
alone 
PREPARING AND COOKING MusHROOMS 
Reject old specimens or those infected with insects, cut off the 
stems except in rare cases where they are unusually tender, peel 
a few kinds that seem to require it, wash quickly in cold water, 
drain and keep in a cool place until ready to cook. As a rule, 
