PAGE 3. 



In gathering mushrooms for food, cut the stem off about an inch below the cap, 

 and place them in the basket or dish, gills upward. Never twist or pull them, as the gills 

 become thereby full of dirt, which is not easily removed. By placing them gills down- 

 ward, they will shed their spores largely and thus lose flavor. 



The stem in cutting will often exhibit fine holes; this indicates that maggots have 

 entered the mushroom. If the substance of the pileus continues firm and hard, the mush- 

 room may be cooked and eaten by those not over-nice ; but if perforated and soft, the 

 consequent decomposition might induce nausea, and even serious sickness. 



Mushrooms may be noxious as food in three ways : — 



(1.) They may disagree with the system, by their toughness, indigestibility, or use in a 

 state of decay. 



(2.) They may be slimy, acrid, or otherwise nauseous. 



(3.) They may contain a subtle poison without taste, smell, or other indication of its 

 presence. 



Most noxious fungi appertain to the first or second class above given, and taste or common- 

 sense would readily reject them, unless they were cooked with other food or excessively spiced. 

 For this reason plain cooking is advised, and further, no amateur should venture to mingle with 

 good varieties others to him unknown. 



Of the third class, there is one family, many of whose members contain a violent and 

 deadly poison. This is known as the Amanita family ; and although out of fourteen varieties, 

 four are known to be edible, yet it is here advised to avoid all fungi as food which have these 

 its distinguishing marks : — 



(1.) A scurfy or warty top, the protuberances of which rub easily off, leaving the skin 

 intact. In a number of specimens many will be found entirely smooth, while near them are 

 others of the same variety where more or less of the specks remain. 



(2.) A ring ; generally large and reflexed or falling downward. 



(3.) A volva ; more or less enclosing the young plant, and remaining at the base of the 

 older specimen, so that when the mushroom is pulled up a socket is left in the ground. 



These three marks should all exist in the typical plant of this family, and the experienced 

 eye will see signs of their presence, even where they are wanting. But the volva rarely or never 

 decays during the life of the specimen, and to reject everything with this mark is recommended 

 to all amateurs. 



So far as known, there are no cases of death by the use of mushrooms except from this 

 one family. In all well-defined cases of fatal poisoning, the cause is just as well defined 

 namely, the use of the mushroom represented by Plates IX. and X. in this sheet. Therefore 

 when one has become perfectly acquainted with this family, and learned to always reject them 

 he has. very little to fear in the choice of mushrooms for the table. The poisonous varieties of 

 the Amanita family are extremely common. 



