Showing under side of gills of 
gray Coprinus 
genus. The brown Coprinus (Coprinus micaceus) is the 
commonest form we have, and is to be found on lawns 
around old trees and on decaying stumps from early spring 
till October. It is an exceedingly prolific plant after a 
shower, and great quantities of the delicate caps may be 
gathered along almost any city street. They usually occur 
at the base of trees or on lawns where trees have recently 
been removed. Growing in great 
clusters they usually last but a day, 
and must be gathered fresh and 
cooked at the earliest possible op- 
portunity. So handled they are 
one of the best mushrooms I have 
ever tasted. 
Coprinus comatus — This the 
“horsetail” mushroom is the larg- 
est member of the Coprinus 
group. The cap, which is scaly, 
is much elongated and drooping 
when young, but as it grows older 
it expands and the edges curve 
upward. It will be found grow- 
ing to a height of several inches, 
and is most common in rich pasture lands. When young the 
gills are a pinkish white, soon changing to purple and then 
black—like all of the members of the genus. 
The puffballs, those curious balloon-shaped fungi, with 
which we are all familiar, form a large family, every mem- 
ber of which is said to 
be edible. This broad 
statement, however, is 
one not to be depended 
upon too implicitly, 
for many members of 
the genus have been 
but little studied, and 
there is practically no 
data on which to base 
a determination of 
their character. All of 
the forms which have 
been eaten have proved 
to be good, though 
some are more highly 
prized than others. 
The gigantic puff- 
ball, a form measuring 
up to eighteen inches 
Agaricus sp. Common in lawns; in diameter, is re- 
locally known as the “pink”,"mushroom garded as one of the 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
Gray Coprinus 
Plate of “toadstools” ready to cook 
263 
Gyromitra brunnea, sometimes called 
“lake-colored morel” 
best, though I think no better than the common meadow 
puftball (Lycoperdon cyathiforme), which grows to a di- 
ameter of six inches and is one of the commonest kinds. 
No puftballs should be eaten after the interior has started 
to turn dark. When cut it should show perfectly white and 
be firm enough to cut like a loaf of good bread. If its con- 
dition is otherwise it should be avoided. 
There are several simple ways 
of cooking mushrooms which can 
be applied to almost any variety. 
All members of the Coprinus 
group are good fried in butter, 
though they usually lose more in 
bulk than do other forms. I like 
the morels made into a batter and 
fried in small cakes, while. the 
puffballs can be sliced, dipped in 
egg and fried in much the same 
manner as French toast. Any of 
the mushrooms may be cooked in 
milk till they are tender (ten to 
twenty minutes), and then 
creamed by the addition of a little 
flour. The Coprinus family is also very adaptable to escal- 
loping, and should be treated exactly as you would treat 
oysters. 
The mushroom of commerce (Agaricus campester) grows 
native over a great portion of the country, and is the most 
highly prized of all of the edible fungi. It grows in pas- 
tures and on rich lawns, but never in the deep shade. 
In getting this mushroom care should be used to avoid 
specimens of the exceedingly poisonous Amanita which it 
somewhat resembles. It can always be separated from the 
poisonous form by re-  __ 
membering that the ~ 
gills of Agaricus vary 
in color from a pink to 
a dark brown, while 
the Amanita has gills 
uniformly white. 
In some localities 
this mushroom, or one 
of its varieties, is ex- 
tensively grown for 
the market. Asarule | 
they are to be had in 
the markets and stores 
of most of our large 
cities throughout the 
entire year. 
SAIN. ERA Sh 
Characteristic structure of Coprinus 
