SOME COMMON MUSHROOMS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 



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which breaks up into scales except in the center ; the flesh is white, generally 

 changing to reddish or yellowish on being cut or bruised ; the gills are close, 

 lanceolate, remote, white becoming green ; the stem is firm, smooth, hollow, 



Figure 8. — Lepiota procera. (Edible.) (From C. G. Lloyd] 



subbulbous, tapering upward, white with brownish tinge ; the ring is large, 

 movable. 



The cap is 5 to 9 or even 12 inches broad ; the stem is 6 to 9 inches long and 

 4 to 8 lines thick. 



Great care should be taken to avoid this species. Many instances of poison- 

 ing are well substantiated, and extreme inconvenience and serious illness have 

 resulted from eating very small pieces of the uncooked mushroom. The gills 

 are slow in assuming the green tinge characteristic of the species, but after 

 being allowed to remain several hours in ordinary room temperature the color 

 becomes quite noticeable. 



