402 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by A. G. and B. Leeper 



THE OYSTER MUSHROOM (Plcurotus ostrccitus) . EDIBLE 



The name of the luscious bivalve was given this sfiecies because of a fancied similarity 

 in appearance. The plants may be found from June until late in the Autumn, growing on 

 deciduous trees. About one-third natural size. 



If one has discovered one or more trees that bear Pleuroti, it is a good plan to water the 

 spots from which specimens have been taken. In this way the plants may be "cultivated," as 

 new "fruit" will appear in a week or two. 



When specimens are brought indoors and placed in a sunny nook, away from drafts, the 

 interesting phenomenon of spore-discharge may be watched. Like twisting, curling spirals 

 of smoke from the burning end of a cigar, the fine spore-rain drifts off into space in quest 

 of tree wounds where it may lodge and start a mycelium that in turn will produce more 

 Pleuroti. 



Related species and poisonous species are 

 sometimes eaten in place of it, 'though Agari- 

 cus campester is so well marked that it is in- 

 conceivable how poisonous species, especially 

 Amanitas, can be eaten by mistake. 



A mere glance at the illustrations of the 

 common mushroom and those of the Amanitas 

 (see Plates II, A". X, XV, and XVI) ought to 

 prove instructive, even to the most superficially 

 observing, and, if in addition the descriptions 

 be compared, wide differences will at once be- 

 come apparent. To call attention to a few : 

 Agaricus campester has a squattier appear- 

 ance; lacks a bag, or volva; has pink gills that 

 turn to a chocolate brown, and never grows 

 in woods or forests, preferring rich, well-ma- 

 nured ground, such as old pastures, where 

 horses are turned loose. 



The Amanitas rarely occur anywhere except 

 in woods, or in places where woods have re- 

 cently stood, such as lawns in new suburbs ; 

 throw down from their gills a white spore- 

 powder, and have, in addition to the ring, a 

 more or less pronounced volva at the usually 



bulbous base of the stem (for figures of the 

 various forms of the Volva, or Death-cup, see 

 Nature's Danger Signals, page 389). 



THE FIELD, OR HORSE MUSHROOM 

 (Agaricus arvensis). Edible 



{See Color Plate I) 



This coarse and heavy species is edible only 

 when young and tender. Some epicures object 

 to its anise-like odor. The distinguishing fea- 

 tures are: its large size (breadth of cap some- 

 times more than a foot) ; peculiar ashy-pink 

 tint of the young gills; large, thick, double 

 ring (the lower one split radiately) ; the bulb- 

 ous stem, and the tendency to turn yellow on 

 the slightest bruise. 



It is not so choice in its habitats as the com- 

 mon mushroom, growing in cultivated fields, 

 grassy pastures, in waste places, under old 

 hedges, and occasionally near trees, and in 

 the borders of thin woods. It should be sought 

 from July to September. Occasionally it forms 

 huge fairy-rings (see page 397). 



