"Mushrooms are not used extensively in this country, because not much effort has been made to cultivate them and those found in the woods or field are difficult to gather, besides there is great danger of being poisoned by them. Some are even so poisonous that they will poison a person to handle them."

How Can The Edible Ones Be Distinguished From The Poisonous Ones?

"They can only be distinguished by people who are familiar with them and have some knowledge of botany. There are three or four hundred varieties of edible mushrooms found in the United States, and the number of poisonous ones is also very large."

What Are The Properties?

"The mushroon is very rich in nitrogen, tissue forming substance - perhaps more so than any known vegetable."

How Is It Then That It Is Supposed To Cause Indigestion?

"Well, no doubt much more is charged to it than it deserves because it is usually eaten with other rich foods, but as it is usually fried this method of cooking would necessarily make it difficult to digest because the principle of frying tissue forming foods is radically wrong. Mushrooms, instead of being eaten with meat ought to supplant meat entirely whenever any considerable part of a meal is made of them."