Littell's Living Age/Volume 131/Issue 1691/Edible and Poisonous Fungi

From Hardwicke's Science-Gossip.

EDIBLE AND POISONOUS FUNGI.

In several books certain general rules are given for ascertaining offhand whether a fungus may be eaten or not: they are so absurd, however, that botanists simply smile and never think of refuting them. Who originally drew up this code I do not know; but subsequent writers have copied it more or less implicitly. It is not exactly easy to see whether these rules are intended for the discrimination of the mushroom from other fungi, or edible from poisonous species generally. Perhaps the most important of these canons is, that edible species never change color when cut or bruised. We have seen how A. arvensis comports itself under such conditions! But there is a variety of A. campestris (var. rufescens, Berk.) which becomes brilliantly pink at the seat of injury; and this plant is one of the most savory forms of the mushroom we know. A. rubescens, P., assumes, as its name implies, a rufous tint, especially where it has been injured by insects. Lactarius deliciosus, Fr., turns from bright orange to a dirty green, and this alone is sufficient to distinguish it from all its compeers. The mere fact of a fungus changing color to blue cannot be regarded as an absolute proof of its toxic qualities, for a friend of ours has eaten Boletus chrysenteron, Fr., before he knew accurately B. edulis, Bul.; and during my noviciate I several times partook of B. badius, Fr., without any ill effects whatever accruing. Another rule very commonly relied on is, that if a fungus be pleasant to the taste, and its odor not offensive, it may be eaten. But this is not only a fallacious but an exceedingly dangerous guide. It is quite true some fungi are intensely acrid, and are irritant poisons; but, upon the other hand, Lactarius deliciosus, one of the very best of our British species, as its mime implies, when eaten raw causes a very unpleasant amount of tingling of the mouth and tongue. Far more important, however, is it to remember that a fungus may have a pleasant odor and taste, and yet be most virulently poisonous. Mr. W. G. Smith was poisoned by eating less than a quarter of an ounce of A. fertitis, P., which had anything but a disagreeable taste. Again A. muscarius, L. has no acridity, neither has A. phalloides, Fr., or A. Mappa, Batsch; and whatever may be the character of the two latter, the poisonous properties of the former are well known. It must be remembered that fungi may be irritant, narcotic, or narcoto-irritant poisons, and while it is possible to recognize an irritant by the taste, a narcotic may be nearly tasteless. There is one way, and only one, by which edible fungi can be discriminated from poisonous ones with absolute certainty, and that is by a knowledge of the individual species. As well might a code of rules be laid down for the discrimination of wholesome from poisonous fruits or vegetables, as for fungi. People do occasionally mistake aconite roots for horseradish, or fool's-parsley for parsley proper; but we have no general rules drawn up in this case, neither do people become panic-stricken and eschew the whole race of condiments because of these unfortunate accidents. But if any misadventure occurs from eating fungi, the whole race are scouted and branded as the harbingers of death. In this country fungus-eating is reserved for the few; but it by no means follows these few are experimentalists, far from it; for the species they eat have been known to be edible, and have been eaten, by the initiated, from time immemorial, in other lands if not in this. Like other kinds of food, they vary much in flavor in the facility with which they can be digested, and in their nutritious qualities. Certain excellent species cannot be too widely known, and every housewife should be able to discriminate them, especially as they have all well-marked characters. Amongst these may be mentioned — Agaricus procerus, Scop.; A. gambosus, Fr.; A. nebularis, Batsch; Lactarius deliciosus, Fr.; Coprimes comatus Fr.; Cantharellus cibarius, Fr.; Hydnum repandum, L.; Boletus edulis, Bui.; Lycoperdon giganteum, Batsch; and Fistulina hepatica, Fr. Occasionally we hear vegetarians say they live upon some fabulously small sum, — a few pence per diem; and although very few people, indeed, would care to debar themselves of wholesome nutritious food for the sake of a mere theory, yet it cannot be overlooked that the continued and continuing increase of the population will eventually demand a full development of the resources of the country. There cannot be a doubt that the esculent species of fungi will, in the future, occupy a most important place in the dietary of the nation, not simply because of their cheapness, but rather by reason of their nutritious qualifies and the large proportion of nitrogenous compounds they contain.