SPAWN-MAKING 



I now regard it as the wiser course to use 

 larger containers for the spawn and to make 

 no transfers whatever. Where these con- 

 tainers are more than about one inch in di- 

 ameter, it will be found that steaming for 

 the time mentioned above, will be inade- 

 quate to effect thorough sterilization. With 

 such vessels it will be necessary to increase 

 the time of steaming, and the length of time 

 required to effect the complete sterilization 

 should be carefully determined in advance. 

 It also appears that a more rapid growth is 

 obtained if leaf mould and well fermented 

 manure are mixed together as a substratum 

 for the cultures. 



To secure a fresh growth of the mycelium 

 or spawn of any desired mushroom, the ob- 

 vious way would be to collect and sow the 

 spores in a nutrient substratum, employing 

 for the latter, let us say, stable manure, de- 

 cayed leaves, or any of the special nutrient 

 media used in the laboratory. This method 

 is successsful with the morel, the oyster 

 mushroom, and certain other species. Con- 



lOI 



