SPAWN-MAKING 



Inoculation, growth and drying. With 

 the bricks properly made the procedure is 

 then to dry them on racks, and not too 

 quickly, to the stage demanded for inocula- 

 tion or spawning. With regard to the in- 

 oculation of the bricks, one of two methods 

 may be adopted : ( i ) The bricks are dried 

 rather slowly to a point when they are but 

 slightly moist throughout. This is to be de- 

 termined not by the condition of the ex- 

 terior, but by the internal moisture content 

 of the brick. They are then piled or 

 stacked in a situation favorable for mush- 

 room growing, and between each pair of 

 bricks in successive layers are distributed 

 four or five bits of the spawn from pure cul- 

 tures or other sources of inoculation used. 

 (2) While the bricks are still fairly moist 

 the pieces of spawn used for inoculation may 

 be inserted in the brick, one or two towards 

 each end. To effect this a cut is made in 

 the soft brick, the spawn inserted, and a 

 stroke of the knife is made to nearly close 

 the slit opened. Drying is then continued 



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