M.^RKET AND PRODUCTION 



far as can at present be ascertained, to be 

 worked up from the scattering references 

 which are obtainable. It is well known that 

 this species was cultivated in France during 

 the reign of Louis XIV, and it is certain also 

 that it was considered a luxury a century or 

 two earlier. Tournefort has left an inter- 

 esting note,* under date of 1707, of the cul- 

 tural operations of his period. While little 

 was then known of the life relations of the 

 organism, it appears that the requisite condi- 

 tions for successful culture were clearly ap- 

 preciated. No mention is made of the cul- 

 tivation in caves at this time. In fact, it 

 does not appear that the underground quar- 

 ries in and near Paris, which are now the 

 famous mushroom gardens of the world, 

 were commonly used for growing prior to 

 the beginning of the 19th century. Among 

 the references which can be had from early 

 Greek or Roman authors, however, no evi- 



* Reproduced in "La culture des champignons comestibles," 

 June, 1913, pp. 139-143- 



29 



