Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 168, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1917 — MARKS OF DANGER [ARTICLE]

MARKS OF DANGER

Certain Characteristics Distinguish Poisonous Mushrooms. Edible Varieties May Be Easily Identified With Exercise of a Little Care, Says Agricultural Expert. Every year there are a few cases of mushroom poisoning. In some instances the individual is only made sick, while In other cases the results are fatal. It is difficult to lay down any hard and fast rules that can be used to distinguish between edible and poisonous mushrooms. In some cases a species that may be harmless for one individual may cause serious digestive disturbances in another. There is, however, one group of mushrooms that is deadly poisonous. This Is the group of Amanitas, says W. W. Bobbins of the Colorado Agricultural college. There are a number of species of Amanita, all of which are deadly poisonous. The deadly Amanitas have white gills, a ring about the stem just beneath the cap, and a cup or scales at the base 'of the Stem.

Do not place any reliance in the many popular and traditional tests of poisonous .or edible qualities. These tests are entirely worthless. The discoloration of a silver spoon; sinking la water; or brilliant coloration —are no indication of either poisonous of edible qualities. Furthermore, the notion that poisonous mushrooms can be rendered harmless by boiling ’ln water and then washing thoroughly In cold water is erroneous. One can easily become familiar with a few. edible kinds of mushrooms. There are many of these springing up in our lawns, dooryards and along fences. One may feel absolutely safe in using all those mushrooms having black gills which dissolve with age into an inky mass. These, of course, must be eaten before turning black, but usually several stages of ripening will be found in the same clump or group of individuals, so that identification can be made. Among these black gill species are the “shaggy mane,” with a more or less bell-shaped, creamy-white cap which becomes shaggy, and the “inky-cap,” growing in dense clusters. These two are both common in lawns, gardens, etc., from spring to autumn and are among the best of our edible forms. All of the puff-balls are edible, and excellent if eaten when the flesh is white and solid. Mushrooms are sometimes soon attacked by worms, and in gathering those which have perhaps stood longer than the others it is well to break off the caps and note whether the worms have worked their way up through the stalk into the cap. The deadly mushrooms are those which possess the following three characteristics: (1) white gills; (2) a ring on the stem just beneath the cap; and (3) a cup or scales at the base of the stem.