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ben Musshcrons there be two maners of them, one matter is deadly 
and sleeth them that eateth of them, and be called Todestoles, and 
the other dooth not." This is simple, but does not carry us very far. 
At the present time Toadstools are divided into classes mainly by the 
colour of their spores, whieh is usually, but not invariably similar to 
that of the gills on which they are borne. To determine the colour 
of the spores of the Mushroom, for example, a fairly mature specimen 
should be taken, and after breaking off, its stalk should be laid, 
gills downwards, on a piece of white paper. When, after a few hours, 
the cap is lifted from the paper, a fairly accurate picture of the gills, 
from which the spores have fallen, will be seen mapped out in purple 
dust. Other Toadstools have spores of different colours. 
Look a little closer at the Mushroom plant. The threads compos- 
ing it push their way through the soil, and becoming strong and 
numerous, spore formation commences. In this process the minute 
filaments increase especially at one point, just below the surface of 
the ground, forming a sort of tuft. The tuft becomes denser, gills 
are then developed, and finally the Mushroom fruit, as we know it, 
is produced. 
The Blusher (Agaricus rubescens, Page 6) is one of the commonest 
of the white spored varieties. Its warty cap is dull lilac in colour, 
often tinged with pink, and though it may become brick red with 
age, it never acquires a scarlet tint. This is important in dis 
tinguishing the edible “Blusher" from the brilliant scarlet “Fly 
Fungus” which is so deadly poisonous. The warts on the cap of 
the Blusher are white or light mauve. They are the remains of a 
membranous bag, in which the Fungus was inclosed when young. 
When the Toadstool is mature, this bag is ruptured, and the remains 
of it are borne aloft as warts by the expanding cap. The flesh of 
this Toadstool is light pink, or becomes so when broken, hence its 
name. The Blusher is a large Toadstool, and is found abundantly 
under trees in early Autumn. In flavour it is mild, and less tasty 
than the common Mushroom ; excellent ketchup can be made from 
it. 
The Panther-Cap (Agaricus pantherinus, Page 7) is a near 
relative of the Blusher. Like the latter it has a well marked ring. 
Its cap is olive brown in colour, viscid and sprinkled with regularly- 
arranged white warts. Its flesh is pure white, and does not change 
when cut or broken. It is fairly common, especially on downs and 
in pastures, and is believed to be poisonous. Page 8 shows a paler 
variety of the same Fungus found growing in a wood. 
Not more than a dozen, out of the many thousand varieties of 
British Fungi, have been proved to be poisonous, many of the others 
being edible and much appreciated by those who eat them. Some- 
times even real Mushrooms cause symptoms of poisoning, either, 
because those eaten were not quite fresh, or because a poisonous 
species was cooked with them, and there are a few people, who are 
unable to eat even a small piece of Mushroom, without being 
exceedingly ill. It is a safe rule, never to partake of Mushrooms, 
that are at all decomposed or soft, or of such ns have been found 
under trees, and to carefully avoid all that have been warmed up, 
after having been previously cooked. 
The Solitary Toadstool (Agaricus solitarius, Page 9) somewhat 
resembles the Panther-Cap, and is white or grey in colour, but the 
warts are smaller, more scattered, and are easily nibbed off ; more- 
over its stem is scaly. It is by- no means uncommonly' seen growing 
among dead leaves in damp places. 
