List of Illustrations[v]
Preface[xiii]
Introduction[xv]
Instructions to Students[xxix]
Abbreviations of the Names of Authors of Species[xxxv]
Names of the Principal Reporters of American Species[xxxvii]
Text[1]
Toadstool Poisoning and its Treatment[621]
Recipes for Cooking and Preparing for the Table[635]
Glossary[651]
Index to Genera[690]
Index to Species[692]
Index to Recipes for Cooking and Preparing for the Table[702]
Index to General Contents[703]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATEFIG.TEXT
PAGE		PLATE
PAGE
Frontispiece, colored.
I.Tabular view of the genera of Agaricaceæ[2]
II.Leucosporæ. Chart of Genera[2]
III.Progressive growth of Agarics[2]
IV.Gill shapes[2]
V.Ring shapes and positions; volva shapes[2]
VI.Colored[6]
1.Amanita spreta[11]
2.phalloides (white var.)[7]
3.phalloides (brown var.)[7]
4.muscaria[14]
5.Frostiana[16]
6.Gyromitra esculenta[546]
VII.Section of Amanita phalloides showing parts of an Agaric[3]
VIII.Colored[18]
1.Amanita chlorinosma[25]
2.rubescens and section[21]
3.strobiliformis[19]
IX.Amanita muscaria. Half-tone[14]
X.Colored[28]
1.Amanitopsis vaginata[28]
2.vaginata, var. livida[29]
3.nivalis[29]
4.strangulata[30]
5.Mycena galericulata[127]
6.prolifera[126]
7.prolifera (section)[126]
XI.1.Lepiota procera. Section[33]
XII.Colored[32]
1.Lepiota Americana[48]
2.naucinoides[45]
3.cepæstipes[46]
4.Amanita rubescens[21]
XIII.Lepiota procera. Half-tone[34]
XIV.Lepiota Morgani. Half-tone[36]
XV.naucinoides. Half-tone[44]
XVa.Americana[48]
XVI.Colored[52]
1.Armillaria mellea[55]
2.mellea, var. exannulata[56]
3.Lentinus lepideus[230]
XVII.Armillaria mellea. Section[52]
XVIII.Colored[60]
1, 2.Tricholoma personatum[79]
3.russula[65]
4.terreum[71]
5.columbetta[68]
6.humile[81]
XIX.Tricholoma (section)[59]
XX.Tricholoma decorosum[67]
XXI.Tricholoma rutilans[70]
XXII.Tricholoma terreum[71]
XXIII.Tricholoma imbricatum[73]
XXIV.Colored[82]
1, 2, 3.Clitocybe ochropurpurea[108]
4.ochropurpurea (section)[108]
5.maxima[99]
6.maxima (section)[99]
7.nebularis[85]
8.amethystina[107]
9.odora[90]
10.laccata[107]
11.infundibuliformis[100]
XXV.Clitocybe clavipes[86]
XXVI.Clitocybe media[87]
XXVII.Clitocybe monadelpha. Half-tone[88]
XXVIIa.1.Clitocybe multiceps[94]
2.multiceps, var.[94]
XXVIII.Colored[112]
1.Collybia platyphylla[114]
2.platyphylla, after rain[114]
3.dryophila[120]
4.fusipes[116]
XXIX.Collybia radicata. Half-tone[112]
XXIXa.Colored[96]
Clitocybe illudens[96]
XXIXb.Collybia velutipes[118]
XXX.Collybia butyraceæ[117]
XXXI.Collybia acervata[122]
XXXII.Mycena galericulata[124]
XXXIII.Hiatula Wynniæ[132]
XXXIV.Omphalia umbellifera[132]
XXXV.Pleurotus ostreatus. Half-tone[134]
XXXVI.Pleurotus sapidus (section)[141]
XXXVII.Colored[146]
1.Hygrophorus pratensis (white var.)[152]
2.pratensis (colored var.)[152]
3.pratensis (after rain)[152]
4.miniatus[159]
5.cantharellus[156]
6.virgineus[153]
7.niveus[153]
XXXVIII.Hygrophorus pratensis[147]
XXXIX.Hygrophorus flavo-discus[157]
XL.Hygrophorus fuligineus[158]
XLa.Lactarius blennius[165]
XLI.Colored[160]
1.Lactarius piperatus[168]
2.indigo[171]
3.deliciosus[170]
4.volemus[180]
XLII.Lactarius hygrophoroides[180]
XLIII.Lactarius subdulcis[182]
XLIV.Colored[184]
1.Russula cyanoxantha[198]
2.emetica[201]
3.flavida[197]
4.sordida[190]
5.roseipes[209]
6.virescens[194]
7.puellaris[208]
XLV.Russula (section)[185]
XLVa.Russula purpurina. Half-tone[188]
XLVb.Russula brevipes[189]
XLVI.Colored[214]
1.Cantharellus floccosus[218]
2.Morchella esculenta[542]
3.Cantharellus cibarius[215]
4.cibarius[215]
5.brevipes[219]
XLVII.Cantharellus cibarius[216]
XLVIII.Cantharellus rosellus[218]
XLIX.Cantharellus brevipes[219]
L.Nyctalis parasiticus[220]
LI.Marasmius oreades[221]
LII.Lentinus (section)[228]
LIII.Lentinus tigrinus[229]
LIV.Panus torulosus[232]
LV.Panus strigosus. Half-tone[232]
LVa.Panus strigosus[234]
LVI.Xerotus degener[237]
LVII.Lenzites[238]
LVIII.Trogia crispa[237]
LVIIIa.Schizophyllum commune[238]
LVIIIb.Colored[238]
Rhodosporæ. Chart of Genera.
LIX.Volvaria bombycina. Half-tone[240]
LIXa.Volvaria bombycina[240]
LX.Volvaria volvacea[241]
LXI.Colored[242]
1.Pluteus cervinus[242]
2.cervinus var.[245]
LXII.Entoloma sinuatum[251]
LXIII.Colored[254]
1.Clitopilus abortivus[257]
2.abortivus (aborted)[258]
3.abortivus (aborted section)[258]
4.prunulus[255]
5.prunulus (section)[255]
LXIV.Clitopilus prunulus[254]
LXV.Clitopilus Orcella[256]
LXVI.Leptonia[263]
LXVII.Nolanea pascua[264]
LXVIII.Eccilia atropuncta[265]
LXIX.Eccilia carneo-grisea[265]
LXX.Claudopus variabilis[266]
LXXI.Colored[268]
1.Hebeloma glutinosum[285]
2.Pholiota caperata[270]
3.squarrosa[273]
4.subsquarrosa[275]
LXXIa.Colored[268]
Ochrosporæ. Chart of Genera.
LXXII.Pholiota præcox[272]
LXXIII.Pholiota squarrosa[273]
LXXIV.Pholiota adiposa[276]
LXXV.Inocybe lanuginosa[281]
LXXVI.Pluteolus reticulatus[282]
LXXVIa.Hebeloma fastibile[284]
LXXVIb.Flammula alnicola[290]
LXXVII.Tubaria furfuracea[293]
LXXVIII.Naucoria semiorbicularis[294]
LXXVIIIa.striapes[296]
LXXIX.Galera tenera[300]
LXXX.Bolbitius fragilis[303]
LXXXa.Bolbitius nobilis[303]
LXXXI.Crepidotus mollis[304]
LXXXII.Colored[306]
1.Cortinarius squamulosus[318]
2.violaceus[314]
3. ochraceus[319]
4.Cortinarius turmalis[309]
5.armillatus[323]
LXXXIII.Cortinarius collinitus[313]
LXXXIV.Cortinarius albo-violaceus[316]
LXXXV.Cortinarius asper[317]
LXXXVI.Cortinarius squamulosus[318]
LXXXVIa.Cortinarius autumnalis[319]
LXXXVIb.Cortinarius annulatus[320]
LXXXVII.Cortinarius cinnamomeus[322]
LXXXVIII.Cortinarius armillatus[323]
XC.Paxillus involutus[328]
XCI.Colored[332]
1.Agaricus variabilis[346]
2.silvicola[343]
3.placomyces[345]
4.campester[332]
5.campester[332]
XCII.Colored[330]
Porphyrosporæ. Chart of Genera.
XCIII.Chitonia rubriceps[330]
XCIV.Agaricus magnificus. Colored[342]
XCV.Pilosace Algeriensis (section)[348]
XCVI.Stropharia æruginosa[349]
XCVIa.Stropharia semiglobata (section)[351]
XCVII.Colored[352]
1.Hypholoma appendiculatum[363]
2.perplexum[354]
3.sublateritium[359]
4.Gomphidius rhodoxanthus[394]
5.rhodoxanthus (section)[394]
XCVIIa.Hypholoma incertum. Half-tone[362]
XCVIII.Hypholoma fascicularis[352]
XCIX.Psilocybe spadicea[365]
C.Psathyra gyroflexa[367]
CI.Colored[368]
Melanosporæ. Chart of Genera.
CII.Colored[372]
1.Coprinus atramentarius[373]
2.micaceus[378]
3.Panæolus solidipes[385]
4.solidipes (section)[385]
CIII.Coprinus comatus. Half-tone[370]
CIV.Coprinus macrosporus[375]
CV.Coprinus fimetarius[376]
CVI.Coprinus domesticus[381]
CVII.Coprinus silvaticus[382]
CVIII.Panæolus[384]
CIX.Anellaria separata[388]
CX.Psathyrella graciloides[390]
CXI.Psathyrella disseminata[391]
CXII.Gomphidius viscidus[394]
CXIIa.Boletinus paluster[401]
CXIII.Boletinus porosus. Half-tone[402]
CXIV.Colored[414]
1.Boletus gracilis[467]
2.subaureus[414]
3.castaneus[472]
CXV.Boletus spectabilis[408]
CXVa.Boletus subluteus[412]
CXVI.Colored[420]
1.Boletus eccentricus[470]
2.badiceps[436]
3.fulvus[465]
4.subsanguineus[420]
5.crassipes[452]
CXVII.Colored[424]
1,2.Boletus bicolor[425]
3.rubropunctus[429]
4.pallidus[429]
CXVIII.Colored[436]
1.Boletus separans[445]
2.Russelli[436]
3.illudens[439]
4.scaber areolatus[461], [463]
5.edulis[445]
CXIX.1.Boletus edulis, var. clavipes[445]
2,3.edulis[445]
CXX.Boletus affinis[448]
CXXI.Boletus scaber[462]
CXXII.Colored[468]
1.Boletus indecisus[468]
2,3,4.felleus[469]
CXXIV.Strobilomyces strobilaceus[475]
CXXV.Colored[476]
1.Fistulina hepatica[477]
2.Polyporus sulphureus[485]
CXXVI.Etching[478]
1.Polyporus fumosus[479]
2.Polystictus versicolor
3.Merulius corium[490]
4.Polyporus perennis and section
5.Dædalea quercina
6.Fomes igniarius
7.Trametes gibbosa
CXXVIII.Polyporus frondosus. Half-tone[482]
CXXIX.Polyporus intybaceus (section)[483]
CXXX.Polyporus squamosus. Half-tone[480]
CXXXI.Hydnum scabrosum[496]
CXXXII.Hydnum repandum[497]
CXXXIII.Hydnum albidum[499]
CXXXIV.Hydnum coralloides. Half-tone[500]
CXXXV.Hydnum caput-Medusæ[502]
CXXXVI.Colored[508]
1.Spathularia clavata[549]
2.Peziza coccinea[559]
3.aurantia[557]
4.Cantharellus aurantiacus[216]
5.Hypomyces lactifluorum[562]
6.Hygrophorus coccineus[156]
7.Craterellus sinuosus, var. crispus[510]
8.cornucopoides[509]
9.Cantharellus lutescens[218]
CXXXVII.Sparassis crispa. Half-tone[512]
CXXXVIII.Colored[522]
1.Clavaria fusiformis[523]
2.pistillaris (yellow var.)[524]
3.Clavaria pistillaris (dark var.)[524]
CXXXIX.Colored[516]
1.Clavaria amethystina[516]
2.aurea[520]
3.formosa[520]
CXL.Clavaria cinerea[518]
CXLI.Clavaria cristata. Half-tone[518]
CXLII.Clavaria circinans[522]
CXLIII.Hirneola auricula-Judea[528]
CXLIV.Tremella mesenterica[530]
CXLIVa.Tremella mycetophila[531]
CXLV.Tremellodon gelatinosum[533]
CXLVI.Helvella crispa[536]
CXLVII.Leotia lubrica[541]
CXLVIII.Gyromitra brunnea[547]
CXLVIIIa.Gyromitra esculenta. Section[546]
CXLIX.Morchella semilibera[545]
CL.Mitrula vitellina[548]
CLI.Geoglossum glutinosum[550]
CLII.Peziza badia. Half-tone[554]
CLIII.Tuber niveum (Terfezia leonis)[565]
CLIV.Tuber æstivum[566]
CLV.Pachyma cocos (Tuckahoe)[567]
CLVI.1.Lycoperdon, parts described (section)[568]
2.echinatum[568]
CLVIII.Phallus impudicus. Half-tone[572]
CLIX.Mutinus caninus[575]
CLX.Geaster hygrometricus[580]
CLXI.Tylostoma Myenianum[582]
CLXII.Calvatia cyathiformis. Half-tone[584]
Lycoperdon cyathiforme.
CLXIII.Calvatia craniiformis[586]
CLXIV.Calvatia elata[588]
CLXV.Lycoperdon constellatum[592]
CLXVI.Lycoperdon glabellum[595]
CLXVII.Lycoperdon rimulatum[597]
CLXVIII.Lycoperdon Wrightii, var. separans[604]
CLXIX.Lycoperdon pedicellatum[600]
CLXX.Lycoperdon eximium[601]
CLXXa.Lycoperdon Curtisii[601]
CLXXb.Lycoperdon Turneri[602]
CLXXI.Lycoperdon pyriforme. Half-tone[602]
CLXXII.Lycoperdon subincarnatum[604]
CLXXIII.Lycoperdon pusillum[606]
CLXXIV.Lycoperdon cepæsforme[606]
CLXXV.Lycoperdon coloratum[607]
CLXXVI.Lycoperdon acuminatum[607]
CLXXVIa.Bovistella Ohiensis (section)[608]
CLXXVII.Bovistella Ohiensis[608]
CLXXVIII.Catastoma circumscissum[609]
CLXXIX.Bovista minor[610]
CLXXX.Scleroderma vulgare[615]
CLXXXI.Polysaccum pisocarpium[618]
CLXXXII.Mycenastrum spinulosum[613]

PREFACE

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. I remembered having read a short time before this inspiration seized me a very interesting article in the Popular Science Monthly for May, 1877, written by Mr. Julius A. Palmer, Jr., entitled “Toadstool Eating.” Hunting it up I studied it carefully, and soon found myself interested in a delightful study which was not without immediate reward. Up to this time I had been living, literally, on the fat of the land—bacon; but my studies enabled me to supplement this, the staple dish of the state, with a vegetable luxury that centuries ago graced the dinners of the Cæsars. So absorbing did the study become from gastronomic, culinary and scientific points of view, that I have continued it ever since, with thorough intellectual enjoyment and much gratification of appetite as my reward. I hope to interest students in the study as I am myself interested.

For twenty years my little friends—the toadstools—have been my constant companions. They have interested me, delighted me, fed me, and I have found much pleasure in making the public acquainted with their habits, structure, lusciousness and food value.

My researches have been confined to the species large enough to appease the appetite of a hungry naturalist if found in reasonable quantity; and my work has been devoted to segregating the edible and innocuous from the tough, undesirable and poisonous kinds. To accomplish this, because of the persistent inaccuracy of the books upon the subject, it was necessary to personally test the edible qualities of hundreds of species about which mycologists have either written nothing or have followed one another in giving erroneous information. While often wishing I had not undertaken the work because of the unpleasant results from personally testing fungi which proved to be poisonous, my reward has been generous in the discovery of many delicacies among the more than seven hundred edible varieties I have found.

For ten years I have planned to publish in book form what I know about toadstools; each effort to compile my information has shown me how much more I ought to know before going into print. Even now my work is still unfinished.

I am urged by my many toadstool friends (as I lovingly call those who, from all over the land, send me specimens for identification, and grow interested with me in the work), to publish what I already know upon the subject, that they, and others, may have a helpful book to guide them to a goodly portion of the edible species, and away from those that are inedible or poisonous.

In this book I comply with these requests. I have selected over seven hundred of the most plentiful and best varieties for the table, from my toadstool bill of fare; and I describe and caution against several species, some of which are deadly in their effects, if eaten; others of which induce ill-effects more or less serious. One thousand species and varieties are named and described.