190 ON THE CULTIVATION OF CERTAIN FUNGI. 



the beds, by so regalating the heat that the spores present in the 

 horse-dune shall not be destroyed. This is described in the 

 followino- instructions, which are taken from Mr. Cuthill's book : — 



" Addressing myself to the working classes, I advise them, in the first place, 

 to employ their children or others collecting horse-droppings along the high- 

 way, and if mixed with a little road-sand, so much the better. They must be 

 deposited in a heap during summer and trodden firmly. They will heat a 

 little, but the harder they are pressed, the less they will heat. Overheating 

 must be guarded against ; if the watch or trial stick inserted into them gets too 

 hot for the hand to bear, the heat is too great, and will destroy the spawn. In 

 that case artificial spawn must be used when the bed is made up. Tlie easiest 

 way for a cottager to save his o^vn spawn would be to do so when he destroys 

 his old bed. He will find all round the edges or driest parts of the dung one 

 mass of superior spawn ; let him keep this carefully in a very dry place, and 

 when he makes up his next bed, it can then be mixed with his summer drop- 

 pings, and will insure a continuous and excellent crop. 



Tliese little collections of horse-di-oppings and road-sand, if kept dry in shed, 

 hole, or corner, under cover, will in a short time generate plenty of spawn, and 

 will be ready to spread on the surface of the bed in early autumn, say by the 

 middle of September, or sooner. The droppings during the winter must be put 

 into a heap, and allowed to heat gently, say up to 80° or 90°; then they must be 

 turned over twice daily to let off the heat and steam ; if this is neglected, the 

 natural spawn in the dung is destroyed. The cottager should provide himself 

 with a few barrowfuls of strawy dung to form the foundation of his bed, so that 

 the depth, when all is finished, be not less than a foot. Let the temperature be 

 up to milk heat. He wiU then, when quite sure that the bed will not overheat, 

 put on his summer droppings. By this time these will be one mass of natural 

 spawn, having a grey, mouldy, and thready appearance, and a smell like that 

 of mushrooms. Let all be pressed very hard ; then let mould, unsifted, be put 

 on to the thickness of four inches, and trodden down hard with the feet, and 

 watered all over ; and the back of a spade may now be used to make it still 

 harder, as well as to plaster the sm-face all over." 



These directions should suffice for home cultivation of the 

 Garden Pratelle, and further information may be had, as already 

 indicated. Crops are obtainable all through the winter, if the 

 temperature of the house can be kept above 50° Fahr. During 

 summer, Pratelles are easily grown in the open air, by placing the 

 collected droppings, after heating is over, on asparagus beds or 

 the like, or under thin turf. So far as size and substance is con- 

 cerned, the Garden Pi-atelle develops well even in dark cellars or 

 caves. But the plant then loses something of digestibility, is less 

 nutritious, and poor in flavour. It requires light and air to attain 

 perfection in these respects. For the natural habitat, it must not 

 be forgotten, is the open pasture. The author feels bound to add 

 that the wild Pratelles gathered at the proper stage, are certainly 



