THE COMPOST 



the mushrooms was reduced, and the yield 

 of the beds was lessened, as compared with 

 normal compost. A few experiments were 

 also made in which fertilizers were added 

 to these materials, but unfortunately these 

 tests were made late in the season and the 

 results are inconclusive as to absolute values. 

 Sawdust and decaying leaves are undoubt- 

 edly improved by the addition of phos- 

 phates and nitrates, but so far as my experi- 

 ence goes, no combination of fertilizers has 

 been able to bring up these products to the 

 point of being a worthy competitor of 

 stable manure. Further experimental work 

 in this direction is highly desirable. It is 

 quite possible that certain forest species of 

 Agaricus, notably A. silvicola and A. pla- 

 comyces, might be more amenable to suc- 

 cessful culture on such substrata, and it is 

 proposed to continue experiments with these 

 forms. 



Substitutes for stable manure would not 

 at present be a matter of great importance 

 to the commercial grower^ but it would mean 



55 



