I, 2. Russula heterophylla.
EDIBLE RUSSULAS.
3. Russula virescens.
4. Russula lepida.
5. Russula alutacea.
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D E S C R IP T IO N . P ileus. Many colored; white, drab, green, purple or bright red; cuticle very thin, peeling from the
edge, adherent toward the centre; bell-shaped, a t first compressing the gills, then expanded, u n til finally the centre
of the cap becomes depressed or concave.
Gills. Generally pure white, sometimes creamy or buff; nearly or quite equal in length, rigid, brittle, breaking into unequal
segments if pressed.
Stem. Stout, solid or stuffed; in substance the same as the flesh of the cap, often tapering quite abruptly to a point a t the
base.
Volva, ring, and veil all entirely absent at every age of the plant.
Spores. White. Taste, excellent raw, like nuts; odor none.
Grows in woods, woody paths or clearings; often found gnawed by squirrels or other animals.
TO COO K . Remove the skin as far as it peels easily, and wash the centre of the cap clean; then place on a gridiron
and let them heat through; butter plentifully, and salt and pepper to the taste, then place them in a hot dish in the oven, and
afte r broiling a beefsteak or chicken put it thereon th at tlie gravy may run out and be absorbed by the mushrooms.
N. B. The noxious members of this family resemble the esculent so closely that, to the amateur, tasting each one as gathered
is the only guide; the hu rtfu l ones being always hot and acrid. Equal gills, extreme brittleness, and dry, firm texture are
characteristic of the whole Russula family.