INTRODUCTION 35 



ing been encountered, and will at least thus have the 

 satisfaction of discovery of an enemy if not a friend. 



It may be said that any mushroom, omitting the 

 Amanita, which is pleasant to the taste and other- 

 wise agreeable as to odor and texture when raw, is 

 probably harmless, and may safely be thus ventured 

 on with a view of establishing its edibility. A prom- 

 inent authority on our edible mush- 

 rir. Hcllvaine's rooms, already mentioned, applies this 



general rule rule to all the Agarics with confidence. 

 " This rule may be established," he 

 says: "All Agarics — excepting the Amanitce — mild 

 to the taste when raw, if they commend themselves 

 in other ways, are edible." This claim is borne out 

 in his experience, with the result, already told, that 

 he now numbers over one hundred species among 

 his habitual edible list out of the three hundred 

 which he has actually found by personal test to be 

 edible or harmless. " So numerous are toadstools," 

 he continues, " and so well does a study of them 

 define their habits and habitats, that the writer never 

 fails upon any day from April to December to find 

 ample supply of healthy, nutritious, delicate toadstools 

 for himself and family!' The italicized portion is 

 my own, as I would thus emphasize the similar pos- 

 sibilities amply afforded even in the present con- 

 densed list of about thirty varieties herein described. 



In gathering mushrooms one should be supplied 

 with a sharp knife. The mushroom should be care- 

 fully cut off an inch or so below the cap, or at least 

 sufficiently far above the ground to escape all signs 

 of dirt on the stem. They should then be laid gills 



