How To Grow Identify Fungi And Mushrooms 13 Books On CD

This book is intended as an introduction to a few of the commoner mushrooms found in Illinois and the central states. The book does not —nor could it in such a small space—attempt to identify all mushrooms in the region, for there are many hundreds native here. Besides, there are so many variations in mushrooms that individual specimens of the same variety may be unlike in appearance. There are giants and there are dwarfs; distortions frequently are found.

From early spring until late fall, everywhere about us may be seen the so-called toadstool. The name toadstool has been so long applied by people, to whom all mushrooms are a "hidden tongue," that it has come to be generally accepted as meaning something poisonous.

The author of this book makes no claim to the discovery of the facts presented. The material has all been drawn from monographs written by men who have made specialties of the different divisions of fungi. A list of works consulted is offered at the close of this book. The plates are reproductions of photographs made by Mr. J. A. Anderson, and coloured by Miss H. C. Anderson. They are as true to nature as it is possible to
make them with the best methods of reproduction now known, and by them alone an acquaintance with many species may be acquired.

MY reasons for writing this book are : First, that Mushroom Culture is but little practised in this country compared to the extent to which it ought to be, considering the abundance of the necessary materials in all parts of
these islands, both in town and country, and the high estimation in which the Mushroom is held. I now refer to ordinary Mushroom Culture as practised in our best private gardens.

My attention was directed to the culture and use of mushrooms about 15 years ago. Since that time I have followed the problems of mushroom growing and exploitation with increasing interest, especially since undertaking the improvement of spawn-making methods and the establishment of spawn-making on a ''pure culture" basis in this country.

There are as many different flavors and tastes among esculent fungi as are found in any other varieties of diet, and the very general ignorance of this fact is a sufficient reason for the issue of this work. Many persons claim to know a mushroom from a toadstool. This means that there is one variety out of a thousand of which they eat with safety, and it means nothing more. A person might as well select one fish from the sea, and avoid all other members of the finny tribe on the ground that there are poisonous fishes.

Many articles on mushrooms have recently appeared in periodicals
in this country, from wliidi it is evident that there is a desire on the part of many persons to obtain information concerning them. It has, therefore, seemed good to me to tell what little I know about the subject, even at the risk of taking up what may appear to some a matter already well discussed.

In the year 1876, as Microscopist of the Departmeut of Agriculture, I
prepared, as a part of the exhibit of my Division at the Centennial Exhibition at Phihulolphia, a large collection of water-color drawings representing leading types of the edible and poisonous mnshrooms of the
United States, together with representations of about nine hundred species
of microscopic fungi detrimental to vegetation.

The books which have been consulted in the preparation of this work are, "British Fungi," by Kev. John Stevenson;"British Fungus-Flora," by George Massee ; "Mushrooms and their Uses," and " Boleti of the United States," by Professor Charles H. Peck, State Botanist of New York; 11 Moulds, Mildew and Mushrooms," by Professor L. M. Underwood ; and a pamphlet by Mr. C. G. Lloyd, entitled "The Volvae of the United States."

A SCORE of years ago (1880-1885) I was living in the mountains of West Virginia. While riding on horseback through the dense forests of that great unfenced state, I saw on every side luxuriant growths of fungi, so inviting in color, cleanliness and flesh that it occurred to me they ought to be eaten.

In the last several years, forest managers in the Blue Mountains have observed a marked increase in the recreational and commercial pursuit of wild mushrooms. What had once been a casual recreational pastime and resource used by a few of the local population has developed into a major commercial industry for at least 2 months of the year. The commercial market has become increasingly organized and has spawned an influx of pickers and buyers into the area during the mushroom season. Awareness
of the availability of this resource also has increased the recreational pursuit of wild mushrooms.

The Product:

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