Part 43

As Chief of the Division of Microscopy, U. S. Department of Agriculture, the author prepared for the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago a collection of models of edible and poisonous mushrooms, for which a medal and diploma were there awarded. The same collection, which now belongs to the Museum of the Department of Agriculture, was exhibited at the Atlanta Cotton Exposition in 1895, where a diploma was again awarded for it, and has since been exhibited at the exposition of 1897 in Nashville, Tenn. The models composing this collection, about one thousand in number, were made from actual specimens and colored to nature, the same species being generally represented by numerous specimens so as to illustrate the various stages in the life of the plant, habit of growth, etc.

The following is a list of the mushrooms represented in this collection, among which there are types of most of the genera in which species recorded as edible occur:

Amanita Caesarea Schaeff. "Orange Amanita." Edible.

Amanita rubescens Pers. "The Blusher." "Reddish-Brown Amanita." Edible.

Amanita strobiliformis Vitt. "Fir-Cone" or "Pine-Cone Amanita." Edible.

Amanita pantherinus D. C. "Panther Mushroom." Poisonous.

Amanita phalloides Fr. "Poison Amanita." Poisonous.

Amanita muscaria Linn. "Fly Amanita." "False Orange." Poisonous.

Amanita verna Bull. "Spring Mushroom." "Vernal Amanita." Poisonous.

Amanitopsis vaginata Roze. "The Grizette." "Sheathed Amanitopsis." Edible.

Lepiota procera Scop. "Parasol Mushroom." "Tall Lepiota." Edible.

Lepiota racodes Vitt. "Ragged Lepiota." Edible.

Armillaria mellea Fr. "Honey Mushroom." Edible.

Tricholoma terreum Schaeff. "The Gray Cap." Edible.

Clitocybe illudens Schw. "Giant Clitocybe." Unwholesome.

Clitocybe odora Bull. "Odorous Clitocybe." Edible.

Clitocybe laccata Scop. Edible.

Collybia fusipes Bull. "Spindle-Foot Collybia." Edible.

Pleurotus ostreatus Jacq. "Oyster Mushroom." Edible.

Pleurotus ulmarius Jacq. "Elm Pleurotus." Edible.

Volvaria bombycina Schaeff. "Silky Volvaria." This species has been recorded by some authors as poisonous. Hays, after testing it, speaks well of it, and states that is eaten on the Continent.

Volvaria speciosa Fr. Not commended.

Pholiota caperata Pers. Edible.

Agaricus campester. "Field Mushroom." Edible.

Agaricus arvensis Schaeff. "Horse Mushroom." Edible.

Hypholoma sublateritium. "Brick Top." Edible.

Hypholoma Candolliana. Edible.

Coprinus comatus Fr. "Shaggy Mane Mushroom." Edible.