Common Edible Mushrooms

Morels and Saddle Fungi
Edible and unexcelled: GENUS Morchella
There can scarcely be any doubt that the morels (see "The
Foolproof Four," Figure i, and Plate 4F) are practically without
equals as edible fungi, and in regions where they are common
they are sought avidly by mushroom enthusiasts. In flavor and
texture they surpass both the common cultivated species and
most other wild mushrooms, and attempts have been and still are
being made to grow them commercially — so far without success.
Anyone who succeeded would have a veritable gold mine if he
could keep his secret and avoid glutting the market, because
morels command a good price and always are in demand.
One year they will be found in abundance on certain hillsides,
but they may not reappear there for years. They seem to come
up readily in some burned-over areas, and it is said that at one
time the residents of some parts of Germany made such a practice
of burning the woodlands to encourage the growth of morels
that they had to be restrained by law. Morels are fairly common
in some wooded areas throughout what was known as the Big
Woods in early Minnesota days, as well as in the Central States
and the East, but if sought at the right time they can be found
in abundance in almost every state of the Union.
They appear for a short time only, usually in the early spring,
the season in the northern United States being at its peak during
May. There are several species, but they are all enough alike to
be described as one. The cap is conical, from 3 to 4 inches high
and from i to 2 inches wide at the base. The surface is tan and is
indented with large, irregular pits or cavities, so that the plant
resembles an animal sponge. The stem is white and very delicate
and brittle in texture, breaking readily when handled, and averages
about i inch in thickness and 2 or 3 inches in length. Both
stem and cap are hollow.
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