ck cave, using the flat bed.

[Illustration: Figure 504.--A Mushroom Cave, Showing One of the Test
Beds of the American Spawn Co., St. Paul, Minn.]

=HOW TO COOK MUSHROOMS.=--To the true epicure there are but four ways of
cooking mushrooms--broiling, roasting, frying them in sweet butter and
stewing them in cream.

In preparing fresh mushrooms for cooking, wash them as little as
possible, as washing robs them of their delicate flavor. Always bear in
mind that the more simply mushrooms are cooked the better they are. Like
all delicately flavored foods, they are spoiled by the addition of
strongly flavored condiments.

=Broiled Mushrooms.=--Select fine, large flat mushrooms, and be sure
that they are fresh. If they are dusty just dip them in cold salt water.
Then lay on cheese cloth and let them drain thoroughly. When they are
dry cut off the stem quite close to the comb. Or, what is better,
carefully break off the stem. Do not throw away the stems. Save them for
stewing, for soup or for mushroom sauce. Having cut or broken off the
stems, take a sharp silver knife and skin the mushrooms, commencing at
the edge and finishing at the top. Put them on a gridiron that has been
well rubbed with sweet butter. Lay the mushrooms on the broiling iron
with the combs upward. Put a small quantity of butter, a little salt and
pepper in the center of each comb from where the stem has been removed
and let the mushrooms remain over the fire until the butter melts. Then
serve them on thin slices of buttered and well browned toast, which
should be cut round or diamond shape.

Serve the mushrooms just as quickly as possible after they are broiled,
as they must be eaten when hot. So nourishing are broiled mushrooms that
with a light salad they form a sufficient luncheon for anyone.

=Fried Mushrooms.=--Clean and prepare the mushrooms as for broiling. Put
some sweet, unsalted butter in a frying pan--enough to swim the
mushrooms in. Stand the frying pan on a quick fire, and when the butter
is at boiling heat carefully drop the mushrooms in and let them fry
three minutes, and serve them on thin slices of buttered toast.

Serve a sauce of lemon juice, a little melted butter, salt and red
pepper with fried mushrooms.

=Stewed Mushrooms.=--Stewed mushrooms after the following recipe make
one of the most delicious of breakfast dishes: It is not necessary to
use large mushrooms for stewing--small button ones will do. Take the
mushrooms