21 



1 foot above the ground, under the trees. The location of the ground 

 selected for piling the logs should be the slopes of a forest, facing south- 

 east or southwest. After keeping the logs as above described for from 

 two to three years, they are immersed in water for twenty-four hours in 

 the middle of November, and again laid one upon another for about four 

 (lays ; if it is in a cold district, the pile is covered with straw or mats. 

 At the expiration of the fourth day the logs are oblitpiely tilted against 

 l>(iles fixed horizontally to the trees at a height of about 4 feet in a well- 

 \ ( utilatod and sunny situation. The mushrooms soon appear in quantity, 

 and, after twenty or thirty days' growth, are ready for harvesting." 



Recent reports of the Japanese Agricultural Department show the total 

 value of the annual exjjort of " Shiitake " to be nearly five hundred thou- 

 sand "yen " (silver). 



Manufactuke of Spawn. 



As many tons of artificial spawn are yearly imported into this country, 

 it would seem that the manufacture of spawn in the United States might 

 prove a profitable form of investment. 



"Brick Spawn." 



For commercial purposes the English method of making the spawn into 

 bricks has some advantages over the French " Hake " process. Its com- 

 pact and uniform shape makes the brick more convenient for storage and 

 general handling, and greatly facilitates its transportation to l»ng dis- 

 tances. Brick spawn is made in the following manner : Clean horse drop- 

 pings, cow manure, loam, and road sweepings are beaten up in a mortar- 

 like consistency and then formed into bricks, moulds being used, slightly 

 differing in shape with different makers, but usually thinner and wider 

 than common building bricks. The following proportions are given: (1) 

 Horse droppings the chief pai't ; one-fourtli cow dung ; remainder loam. 

 (2) Fresh horse droppings mixed with short litter for the greater part ; 

 cow dung, one third; and the rest mould or loam. (3) Horse dung, cow 

 dung, and loam, in equal parts. When about half dry, depressions are 

 made in the bricks, sometimes in the centre, and sometimes in each corner, 

 and small pieces of good spawn are placed in these depressions, and plas- 

 tered over with the material of the brick. The cakes are then laid out to 

 drj^ standing on their edges, and when nearly dry are piled in pairs with 

 the spawn-larded surfaces face to face. The bricks are then stacked 

 away, and covered with sweet fermenting litter, sufiiciently to cause a heat 

 of 60" F. It should not be over 70° F. One spawn manufacturer says 

 that the most rapid and successful growth of the mycelium is attained 

 when the temperature is from 63° F. to 67° F. The bricks are examined 

 frequently during the process, and when the mycelium of the old spawn 

 has permeated the whole mass like a tine white mould, the bricks are taken 

 out and dried in a well-ventilated dark place. They are then placed in a 

 cool, dark storehouse, where they are not subject to dampness and where 

 the temperature is about 50° F., not over 65 " or below 35° F. Slight ven- 

 tilation is necessary, but not enough to make the bricks dust-dry. Keep- 

 ing the spawn dry merely suspends its growth ; as soon as it is again 

 submitted to favorable conditions of moisture and heat, its pristine activity 

 returns. Dampness, combined with heat, stimulates the growth of my- 

 celium : frost also destroys the vitality of the spawn. It is evident, there- 

 fore, that these conditions should not exist in the store-room. 



One manufacturer advocates piling the bricks, after spawning, on a clay 

 floor, packing closely four bricks deep, and covering them with sifted 



