es,
grasses, and shrubs, either native or introduced. Several of the
educational institutions, as well as the experiment stations, now
regularly issue nature study leaflets or bulletins which treat of
popular subjects of interest in connection with outdoor things. It
would be well to write the state experiment station in your state for
literature of this nature.

MUSHROOMS, FUNGI, OR TOADSTOOLS

_By Ernest Thompson Seton, Chief Scout
Revised by Dr. C. C. Curtis_

There are thousands of different kinds of toadstools or mushrooms in
the world; most of them are good to eat, yet all have a bad
reputation, because some are deadly poisonous.

False tests. First of all let us dispose of some ancient false tests
that have led many into disaster.

Cooking or otherwise trying with silver proves absolutely nothing. It
is believed by many that the poisonous mushrooms turn silver black.
Some do; some do not; and some eatable ones do. There is nothing in
it.

Bright colors on the cap also mean nothing; many gorgeous toadstools
are wholesome food. But the color of the pores {123} means a great
deal, and this is determined by laying the fungus cap gills down on
gray paper for six or eight hours under a glass.

[Illustration: Moose horn clavaria.]

[Illustration: Spindle clavaria.]

[Illustration: Club clavaria.]

[Illustration: Golden clavaria.]

Poisonous Toadstools

Of all the poisonous kinds the deadliest are the Amanitas. Not only
are they widespread and abundant, but they are unhappily much like the
ordinary table mushrooms. They have however one or two strong marks:
Their stalk always grows out of a "poison cup" which shows either as a
cup or as a bulb; they have white or yellow gills, and white spores.
The worst of these are:

Deathcup, Destroying Angel, Sure-death, or Deadly Amanita
(_Amanita phalloides_)

One and one half to five inches across the cup; three to seven inches
high; white, green, yellowish olive, or grayish brown; {124} smooth but
sticky when moist; gills white; spores white; on the stem is an
annulus or ring just below the cap.

Fly Amanita (_Amanita muscaria_)

About the same size; mostly yellow, but ranging from orange red to or
almost white; usually with raised white spots or scales on the top;
gills white or tinged yellow; spores white; flesh white.

Hated Amanita (_Amanita spreta_)

Four to six inches high; cap three to five inches across; white,
tinged with br