34 EDIBLE MUSHROOMS 



2. Exclude those having an unpleasant odor, a 

 peppery, bitter, or other unpalatable flavor, or tough 

 consistency. 



3. Exclude those infested with worms, or in ad- 

 vanced age or decay. 



4. In testing others which will pass the above pro- 

 bation let the specimen be kept by itself, not in con- 

 tact with or enclosed in the same basket with other 

 species, for reasons given on page 69. 



Begin by a mere nibble, the size of a pea, and gen- 

 tle mastication, being careful to swallow no saliva, and 



finally expelling all from the mouth. 



Testing If no noticeable results follow, the next 



new species trial, with the interval of a day, with 



the same quantity may permit of a 

 swallow of a little of the juice, the fragments of the 

 fungus expelled as before. 



No unpleasantness following for twenty-four hours, 

 the third trial may permit of a similar entire fragment 

 being swallowed, all of these experiments to be made 

 on "an empty stomach." If this introduction of the 

 actual substance of the fungus into the stomach is 

 superseded by no disturbance in twenty-four hours, a 

 larger piece, the size of a hazel-nut, may be attempted, 

 and thus the amount gradually increased day by day 

 until the demonstration of edibility, or at least harm- 

 lessness, is complete, and the species thus admitted 

 into the " safe " list. By following this method with 

 the utmost caution the experimenter can at best suffer 

 but a slight temporary indisposition as the result of 

 his hardihood, in the event of a noisome species hav- 



