THE DELICIOUS LACTARIUS. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Figure 143.--Lactarius deliciosus. One-third natural
size. Caps light reddish-yellow. Milk orange color.]

Deliciosus, delicious. The pileus is three to five inches broad; color
varying from yellow to dull orange or even brownish-yellow with mottled
concentric zones of deeper color, especially in younger plants,
sometimes a light reddish-yellow, without apparent zones (as is the case
of those in Figure 143); convex, when expanded becoming very much
depressed; funnel-shaped; smooth, moist, sometimes irregular, wavy;
flesh brittle, creamy, more or less stained with orange.

The gills are slightly decurrent in the depressed specimens, somewhat
crowded, forked at the stem, short ones beginning at the margin; when
bruised exuding a copious supply of milky juice of an orange color; a
pale tan-color, turning green in age or in drying. Spores are
echinulate, 9-10x7-8u.

The stem is two to three inches or more, equal, smooth, hollow, slightly
pruinose, paler than the cap, occasionally spotted with orange, tinged
with green in old plants.

The taste of the raw plant is slightly peppery. It grows in damp woods
and is sometimes quite common. Its name suggests the estimation in which
it is held by all who have eaten it. Like all Lactarii it must be well
cooked. The specimens in Figure 143 were gathered on Cemetery Hill close
to the pine trees and in company with Boletus Americanus. Found from
July to November. I found the plant in a more typical form about Salem,
Ohio.

_Lactarius uvidus. Fr._

[Illustration: Figure 144.--Lactarius uvidus.]

Uvidus is from _uva_, grape, so called because when exposed to the air
changes to the color of a grape.

The pileus is two to four inches broad, flesh rather thin, convex,
sometimes slightly umbonate, then depressed in the center, not zoned,
viscid, dingy pale ochraceous-tan, margin at first involute, naked, milk
mild at first then becoming acrid, white changing to lilac.

The gills are thin, slightly decurrent, crowded, shorter ones very
obtuse and truncate behind, connected by veins, white, when wounded
becoming lilac.

The stem is soon hollow, two to three inches long, viscid, pallid.

The spores are round, 10u.

Not only the milk changes to a lilac when cut, but the flesh itself.
They are found in damp woods during August and September. The plants in
Figure 144 were found near Boston, by Mrs. Blackford. These plants grew