250 STUDIES OF AMERICAN FUNGI. 



and would certainly save considerable labor and expense in the 

 making of the beds. Mr. William Swayne of Kennett Square, Pa., 

 in the winter of 1900-1901, made up a portion of one of his beds 

 in this way, and no difference could be seen in the results of 

 the crop, the crop from the beds made in this way being as good as 

 that of the adjoining beds, and he intends the following year to make 

 up all of his beds in the same way. 



Mixing soil with the manure at the time of fermentation. While in the 

 cave culture of mushrooms the manure is usually fermented and 

 used without the admixture of soil, usually in the house or cellar 

 culture rich loam soil, or rotted sod, is mixed with the manure 

 at the time of turning it, during the process of fermentation. 

 At the time of the first turning, soil is mixed in, a layer of the 

 manure being spread out on the ground, and then a sprinkling of 

 soil over this. Then another layer of the manure is added with 

 another sprinkling of soil, and so on as the new pile is built up. In 

 the first turning of the manure, about one part of soil is used to eight 

 or nine parts of manure. Then at the last turning another mixture 

 of soil is added, so that there is about one-fifth part soil in the mix- 

 ture. The soil aids somewhat in lowering the temperature, and 

 also adds some to the bulk, so that more beds can be made up with 

 the same amount of manure. 



Horse droppings free from straw. For growing mushrooms on a 

 small scale, as in cellars or boxes, some prefer to select the horse 

 droppings free from straw. 



MAKING UP THE BEDS. 



Making up beds without the addition of soil. In the cave culture of 

 mushrooms the beds are usually made from manure alone, there 

 being no addition of soil. This is perhaps partly due to the expense 

 of getting the soil in and out from the caves as well as to the low tem- 

 perature prevailing there. It is believed by many that the results 

 are equally as good in beds from the manure alone as in those which 

 contain an admixture of soil. The method of making the beds in 

 the Akron cave, or " tunnel," is as follows : The manure, imme- 

 diately after it has passed through the process of fermentation and 

 curing in the pile, is carted to the district in the mine where the beds 

 are to be made and is dumped in a long windrow on the ground. 

 The length of the windrow depends of course upon the amount of 

 material which is ready, as well as upon the amount necessary for 

 making up the beds for that distance. Two hemlock boards, six- 

 teen feet long and ten inches wide, and two, four feet long and the 



