FLOWERLESS PLAXTS 



449 



esctilenta, the esculent morel, has an oblong or egg-shaped 

 cap, and in M. deliciosa, the "delicious" morel, the cap is 

 nearl}- c\'lindrical. 



Stinkhom Mushrooms, Plialloidea. — These might be 

 omitted, did the}' not too often force themseh'es upon our 

 attention. Their \'ile odors, suggestive of deca\'ing animal 

 matter or escaping sewer gas, strike consternation to the 

 householder, and he is likely to begin a vain, because mis- 

 directed, search for the cause of offense. The odor prob- 

 abl}' serves the plant by attracting 

 insects, which in return for their 

 feast disseminate its spores. While 

 there are several kinds, differing in 

 color and somewhat in structure 

 and form, the general appearance Cii 

 the plant as shown in Fig. 1S4 will 

 be sufficient to classifv an\- specimen 

 that mav be brought in. The stink- 

 horns are not given in the books a> 

 poisonous ; in fact, most of them haT.-e 

 the reputation of being "edible" if 

 taken in the ^gg stage. The most 

 frequent question about them, however, relates not to their 

 edibleness, but rather to methods by which thev mav be 

 exterminated. They are apt to grow about rotting wood in 

 damp places, and since we know that the main portion of 

 the plant, the m}xelium, consists of a mass of fine threads 

 beneath the surface it will probably be necessary- onlv to 

 scrape up and clear awav any decaving wood and possiblv 

 turn over the soil to a depth of a foot effectualh" to rid the 

 place of the nuisance. 



Fig. 1S4. Stixkhorn 

 Mushroom -\xd Eggs 



