Report of the Botanist. 61 



means of ascertaining the color and character of the capillitium and spores, 

 the latter will exhibit the color of the immature plant, and the character of 

 its warts or adornments. The character of these, and the characters of the 

 capillitium and spores are of the first importance, but the color of the imma- 

 ture plant and its size and shape are less constant and reliable, and are 

 therefore generally considered of secondary importance. Specimens pre- 

 served entire and in their natural shape are much more satisfactory for study 

 than those that are sliced in sections or pressed flat and mounted on herba- 

 rium paper. Such specimens can easily be kept in trays or small paper 

 boxes. The immature ones should be gathered just before maturity. If 

 taken too early they shrivel too much, and do not keep their shape as well. 



Puff-balls are useful because they are edible. None of the species are 

 considered dangerous or even hurtful, yet some are so small and so scarce, 

 that they are not of much value for food. The larger ones are generally 

 better flavored than the smaller and more common ones. They should be 

 used as food in the immature condition only, while the flesh is yet of a pure 

 white color. When it begins to discolor its goodness is gone. 



The method of preparing them for the table is as follows : Take off the 

 rind and cut the fleshy part into thin slices. Beat up two or three or more 

 eggs, according to the quantity to be prepared, and dip the slices in it. 

 Then fry in butter, seasoning with salt, pepper and savory herbs if desired. 

 Another method is to put the slices in water and heat to the boiling point. 

 Then take them out and fry in butter as before. Puff-balls, as an article of 

 food, have this advantage over mushrooms. They are not often infested by 

 insects or their larvae, and there is scarcely any possibility of mistaking any 

 deleterious species for them. In the following descriptions, those species 

 whose esculent qualities have been tested by the writer are marked edible. 



The Synoptical table is intended to be an aid to the student in tracing the 

 species. Nearly all the characters employed in it are ascertainable without 

 the aid of the microscope. 



Synoptical Table of Species. > 



Section 1. Peridium Rupturing Irregularly. 



Plant very large, spores dingy-olive. L. giganteum. 



Plant large, spores purple-brown L. cyathiforme. 



Plant medium size, stem long, spores dingy-brown L. saccatum. 



Section II. Peridium Opening by a /Small Apical Aperture. 



Mature capillitium and spores purplish-tinted a. 



Mature capillitium and spores olive-tinted b. 



a Denuded peridium reticulate with brown lines L. eonstellatum. 



a Denuded peridium smooth : L. atropurpureum. 



a Peridium not denuded, warts minute, persistent L. glabellum. 



b Plant shaggy or echinate with spinose or pyramidal warts, c 



b Plant not shaggy, warts minute or papilla-like e. 



c Plant sessile, growing in cleared land L. Wrightii. 



c Plant subsessile, growing in wood or bushy places d. 



d Denuded peridium pitted, spores pedicellate L. pedicellatum. 



d Denuded peridium smooth, spores not pedicellate L echinatum. 



e Plant generally with a stem-like base f. 



e Plant without a stem-like base, sessile g. 



f Denuded peridium pitted and reticulate with dotted lines, L. gemmatum. 



f Denuded peridium not pitted L. molle. 



f Peridium scarcely denuded, warts minute, equal L. pyriforme. 



g Plant pinkish-brown, growing in woods L. subincarnatum. 



g Plant whitish, growing in cleared land L. pusillum. 



g Plant yellowish, growing in woods L. coloratum. 



g Plant whitish, ovate or conical L. calyptriforme. 



