COMMON MUSHROOMS OF THE UNITED STATES 



417 



The genus Polystictus is a member of a 

 large family, the Polyporaceas. Some of the 

 bracket- or hoof-shaped species of the poly- 

 pores are familiar objects to the forest ram- 

 bler. Unfortunately, they are only too familiar 

 ■to the forester, many being very destructive 

 to our trees. Polyporus applanatus, a common 

 bracket fungus, deserves notice because of the 

 use to which it is put by the collector who 

 combines artistic proclivities with his myco- 

 logic ones. The under,' or hymenial, surface 

 of this : fungus is almost white. Upon the 

 slightest scratch, however, the white is re- 

 moved and a dark line appears. 



Provided with nothing more than a good 

 fresh specimen of this fungus and a stylus 

 in the form of a sharp-pointed branchlet, con- 

 veniently picked up at his feet, the artist- 

 mycologist may proceed to sketch the land- 

 scape. If he has the ability of a Seymour 

 Hayden or a Pennell, the result will compare 

 favorably with a good etching. After the fun- 

 gus is thoroughly dry, the picture is perma- 

 nently fixed, and it may then be set up in the 

 summer bungalow to recall a day pleasantly 

 and profitably spent (see page 409 for illustra- 

 tion of P. applanatus). 



THE EQUESTRIAN TRICHOLOMA 

 (Tricholoma cquestre). Edible 



(Lower left figure, Color Plate VII) 



The Tricholomata are attractive agarics. 

 Clean, trim, often of elegant stature and beau- 

 tiful coloring, they have become known in some 

 countries under the attractive name of Knightly 

 mushrooms. The time for their appearance 

 is rather late in the autumn, when the air is 

 a little chill and the forest foliage is beginning 

 to glow with Titian's tints. 



The present species, the Equestrian tricho- 

 loma, is one of the better-known examples of 

 the genus. It is edible and therefore eagerly 

 sought as soon as the weather is propitious. 

 The taste is apt to be a little unpleasant in 

 uncooked plants, but this is true of a number 

 of edible species, notably of Armillaria mcllea 

 (Plate VI) and of Lactarius piperatus, a very 

 large, coarse, white, "milk"-exuding species, 

 common in woods. Conversely, some of the 

 deadliest species of Amanita give no forewarn- 

 ing at all through the sense of taste. 



The Equestrian tricholoma is found in pine 

 woods; time, September to November; distri- 

 bution, North America and Europe. 



MORELS. (Edible) 

 (See Color Plate VII) 



The Morel, or Sponge mushroom, belongs 

 with the Ascomycetes, fungi quite distinct 

 from those which bear gills, tubes, teeth, etc. 

 Not only is there a marked departure in the 

 external form, but the microscopic features, 

 likewise, show a fundamental difference (see 

 pages 420-421). 



The normal time for Morels to appear is in 

 spring, though they have been known to occur 

 in autumn. After a gentle April shower, the 



fungus-hunter, betaking himself to the nearest 

 apple or peach orchard, or to recently burnt- 

 over wooded areas, searches for the light 

 brownish, fawn-colored, or olive gray, pitted 

 heads. If luck is with him he doesn't search 

 long, for he soon finds enough of the coveted 

 'sponges" to give him his first taste of fresh 

 mushrooms of the year. 



For centuries the Morels have been favorites 

 with the fungus-epicures. Indeed, so highly 

 were they regarded by some European peoples 

 that forests were burned down by them to ob- 

 tain the substratum best suited to their de- 

 velopment — a method of procedure that recalls 

 Ho-ti's way of roasting pigs. In recent years 

 efforts have been made by French investigators 

 to grow the plants artificially. 



Before proceeding to cook them, the plants 

 should be washed to remove any earth that 

 may be lodged in the pits of the cap. Then, 

 cutting off as little of the stems as possible, the 

 hollow interior must be thoroughly rinsed with 

 hot water. Having further assured one's self 

 that the plants are perfectly fresh, crisp, and 

 clean, cooking can begin. 



The methods of preparation for the table are 

 various. Stuffed with veal, chicken, or ancho- 

 vies, and garnished as elaborately as one 

 pleases, they are especially delicious. But they 

 lend themselves to any mode of cooking. Penn- 

 sylvania farmers, who know them as "Mer- 

 kels," prefer them in a pot-pie. 



Different species have been distinguished, 

 but they are one and all edible when in first- 

 class condition. Some, like M. esciilenta (Color 

 Plate VII), have a more or less rounded cap; 

 others are conical in shape (M. couica, page 

 420), and one, which is said to be better than 

 the rest, has a somewhat oblong, cylindrical, 

 olive-gray cap, which is often a little curved 

 (M. deliciosa, page 420). The species M. senii- 

 libera is shown in the illustration on page 421. 



THE DELICIOUS, OR ORANGE-MILK, 

 LACTAR (Lactarius deliciosus). Edible 



(See Color Plate VII) 



When injured, certain fungi have the pecu- 

 liarity of exuding a colored, uncolored, or 

 color-changing juice, called ''milk," or latex. 

 Among the larger gill-fungi that have this 

 property are the members of the genus Lac- 

 tarius. 



Of the numerous edible species, the Orange- 

 Milk Lactar — so named because of its orange- 

 colored milk — is the most generally known, 

 its reputation extending back to the old herb- 

 alists of the sixteenth century, and possibly to 

 ancient Roman days, for a picture of this spe- 

 cies, said to be the earliest representation of a 

 fungus extant, was discovered on a wall in 

 ill-fated Pompeii. 



The following quotations will convey some 

 idea of the esteem in which it was and is still 

 held. 



Sowerby says : "It is very luscious eating, 

 full of rich gravy, with a little of the flavour of 

 mussels." Sir James Smith pronounces it "the 

 most delicious mushroom known." Other 



