. Fundamentals of botany. Botany. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF FUNGI 289 belong to an entirely different group. All puff-balls are good to eat when young. Many esteem the morel {Morchella esculenta) as a great Fig. 212.—Shaggy-mane TtmshToom. (Coprinus comatus). Edible before the spores turn black. 279. Criterion of Edibility.—Here, as elsewhere, there is no royal road, no short cut to knowledge. There are absolutely no external characteristics which distinguish edible from poisonous fungi. The only way to tell whether a given species is poisonous or not is to try it. Since this is so, it
. Fundamentals of botany. Botany. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF FUNGI 289 belong to an entirely different group. All puff-balls are good to eat when young. Many esteem the morel {Morchella esculenta) as a great Fig. 212.—Shaggy-mane TtmshToom. (Coprinus comatus). Edible before the spores turn black. 279. Criterion of Edibility.—Here, as elsewhere, there is no royal road, no short cut to knowledge. There are absolutely no external characteristics which distinguish edible from poisonous fungi. The only way to tell whether a given species is poisonous or not is to try it. Since this is so, it is best for the amateur not to make the endeavor, but to depend only upon the knowledge of an experienced mycologist. One should first seek to attain skill in determining the exact species of his specimen, and then follow the assurance, and especially the warnings, of some reliable book. In general, one should avoid all bright-colored species (although some of them are not poisonous), and all species that have a "cup" at the base of the stalk, or stipe. To insure no mistake in this latter point, one should always be sure that he has the base of the stipe, and has not broken it off above the base. Beginners should also avoid aU specimens in the "button" stage of development, as it is more difl&cult to determine the exact species at that stage. 19. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Gager, C. Stuart (Charles Stuart), 1872-1943. Philadelphia, P. Blakiston's son & co.
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