The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 63

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 247.--Cortinarius castaneus. Two-thirds natural size.]

Castaneus, a chestnut. The pileus one inch or more broad, at first quite small and globose, with a delicate fibrillose veil, which makes the margin appear silvery; dark-bay or dirty-violet, often with a tawny tint; soon expanded, broadly umbonate, pileus often cracked on the margin and slightly upturned.

The gills are fixed, rather broad, somewhat crowded, violet-tinged, then cinnamon-brown, ventricose. Spores, 85.

The stem is one to three inches high, inclined to be cartilaginous, stuffed, then hollow, even, lilac-tinged at the top, white or whitish below the veil, the whole stem beautifully fibrillose, veil white.

This plant is very abundant on Cemetery Hill, growing under pine trees.

The caps are small, but they grow in such profusion that it would not be difficult to secure enough for a meal. They compare very favorably with the Fairy Ring mushroom in flavor. They have little or no odor. Found in October and November.

CHAPTER V.

PURPLE-BROWN SPORED AGARICS.

_Agaricus. Linn._ (_Psalliota. Fr._)

The pileus is fleshy, but the flesh of the stem is of different texture from that of the pileus, veil universal, concrete with the cuticle of the pileus, and fixed to the stem, forming a ring which soon disappears in some species; the stem is readily separated from the cap and the gills are free from the stem or slightly adnexed, white at first, then pink, afterwards purple-brown.

All the species grow in rich ground, and it includes many of our valuable food mushrooms.

_Agaricus campestris. Linn._

THE MEADOW MUSHROOM. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 248.--Agaricus campestris. Two-thirds natural size.]

_Campestris, from campus, a field._ This is perhaps the widest known of all mushrooms, familiarly known as the "Pink-gilled mushroom." It is the species found in the markets. It is the only species which is sure to respond to the methods of cultivation.

It is the same species which is bought in cans at the store.

In very young plants the pileus is somewhat globular, as will be seen in the small plants in the front row in Figure 248. The edge is connected with the stem by the veil; then round convex, then expanding, becoming almost flat; surface dry, downy, even, quite scaly, varying in color from creamy-white to a light-brown; margin extending beyond the gills, as will be seen in Figure 249 in the one on the extreme right.

The gills, when first revealed by the separation of the veil, are of a delicate pink hue, but with advancing age this generally deepens to a dark-brown or blackish-brown color.

The stem is rather short, nearly equal, white or whitish; the substance in the center is more spongy than the exterior, hence it is said to be stuffed. Sometimes the collar shrivels so much that it is scarcely perceptible, and may disappear altogether in old plants. The spores are brown in ma.s.s. The cap of this mushroom is from three to four inches in diameter and the stem from one to three inches long.

This is the first mushroom that yielded to cultivation. It is raised in large quant.i.ties, not only in this country, but especially in France, j.a.pan, and China. No doubt other species and genera will be produced in time.

This species grows in gra.s.sy places, in pastures, and richly manured grounds, never in the woods. I found it in great abundance in Wood County, in fields which had never been plowed and where the ground was unusually rich. There it seemed to grow in groups or large cl.u.s.ters.

Usually it is found singly. Found from August to October. The plants figured here were found near Chillicothe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 249.--Agaricus campestris. Two-thirds natural size.]

_Agaricus Rodmani. Pk._

RODMAN'S MUSHROOM. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 250.--Agaricus rodmani. Two-thirds natural size.]

The pileus is creamy, with brownish spots, firm, surface dry. The mature specimens frequently have the surface of the cap broken into large, brownish scales.

The gills are whitish, then pink, becoming dark-brown; narrow, close and unequal.

The stem is fleshy, solid, short, thick, about two inches long. The collar when well developed exhibits a striking characteristic. It appears as if there were two collars with a s.p.a.ce between them. Its spores are broadly elliptical, .0002 to .00025 inch long.

It may be easily distinguished from the common Agaric by the time when found, its thick firm flesh, its narrow gills, which are almost white at first, and its double collar. I have found people eating it, supposing they were eating the common mushroom.

It is found in gra.s.sy places and especially between the cobble stones along the gutters in the cities. The specimens in Figure 250 were found in Chillicothe in the gutters. It is a meaty plant and one can soon tell it from its weight alone. It is found through May and June. It is fully as good to eat as the common mushroom. Macadam speaks of finding it in the fall, but I have never succeeded in finding it later than June.

_Agaricus silvicola. Vitt._

THE SILVAN AGARIC. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 251.--Agaricus silvicola. One-half natural size.]

Silvicola, from silva, woods and colo, to inhabit. The pileus is convex, sometimes expanded or nearly plane, smooth, s.h.i.+ning, white or yellowish.

The gills are crowded, thin, free, rounded behind, generally narrowed toward each end, at first white, then pinkish, finally blackish-brown.

The stem is long, cylindrical, stuffed or hollow, white, bulbous; ring either thick or thin, entire or lacerated. Spores elliptical, 6-84-5. The plant is four to six inches high. Pileus three to six inches broad. _Peck._ 36th N. Y. State Bot.

A. silvicola is very closely related to the common mushroom. Its chief differences are in its place of growth, its being slender, and its hollow stem somewhat bulbous at the base. I have found it many times in the woods about Chillicothe, although I have never succeeded in finding more than one or two at a time. I have always put them with edible species and have eaten them when thus cooked with others.

Because of the resemblance which it bears, in its earlier stages, to the deadly Amanita, one can not exercise too great care in identifying it.

It grows in the woods and is found from July to October.

_Agaricus arvensis. Schaeff._

THE FIELD OR HORSE MUSHROOM. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 252.--Agaricus arvensis. Two-thirds natural size, showing veil.]

_Arvensis, pertaining to a field._ Pileus is smooth, white or yellowish, convex or conical, bell-shaped, then expanded, more or less mealy. The gills are crowded, free, generally broader toward the stem; at first whitish, then pinkish, finally black-brown.

The stem is stout, equal, slightly thickened at the base, smooth, hollow or stuffed, ring rather large and thick, the upper part membranaceous and white, while the lower or exterior surface is thicker, downy, radically split and yellowish.

The spores are elliptical, .0003 to .0004 inch long.

This plant grows much larger than the common mushroom, and may be distinguished by the collar being composed of two parts closely allied to each other making a double membrane, the lower part being much thicker, softer in texture and split in a stellate manner into broad and yellow rays, as will be seen in Figure 252.

I found it very plentiful in Wood County, Ohio, and in quant.i.ties in Dr.