Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc.

"Studies of American Fungi: Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc." by George Francis Atkinson is an early 1900s guide that teaches people about the many types of fungi growing in America, especially which mushrooms are safe to eat and which are dangerous. Atkinson's writing is driven by a desire to give an explanation for the lack of documentation of American fungi. The guide includes many pictures and explanations to help people tell different kinds of mushrooms apart. It's written to fix common false ideas about mushrooms, teaching readers to carefully look at them to know which ones to eat and which to avoid. He goes over what mushrooms are made of, how they grow, and what makes each kind unique, giving the reader the basic information before teaching about each mushroom.