FOREWORD 



curately and faithfully the requirements for 

 success in mushroom culture and spawn- 

 making. In this connection I have en- 

 deavored to offer some extended observa- 

 tions upon the best practices of the mush- 

 room growers of the present time, formu- 

 lating also my personal experience with 

 experimental and commercial production. 

 The widespread interest in the habits of the 

 cultivated mushroom, and educational con- 

 siderations as well, make it necessary, in- 

 cidentally, to present an untechnical but 

 fairly complete picture of the life relations 

 of this important fungus. 



(b) Secondly, it has seemed an appro- 

 priate opportunity to awaken, if possible, 

 the interest of the grower in some of the 

 more important and widely distributed 

 genera and species of mushrooms. If 

 knowledge of a few forms is once attained 

 it will stimulate further interest and con- 

 fidence in more detailed observation and 

 study. The groups of fungi discussed, in- 

 clude primarily, those which are edible 



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