Mushroom Growing for Amateurs. 173 



or black because of the large number of ripe spores on them. Even 

 in this condition they are suitable for eating if they are not decayed. 

 But when the gills become black, they are not so suitable for the 

 market. In picking the mushrooms, the best way is to take hold 

 of the plant by the cap. By moving the hand from side to side with 

 a slight circular motion the stem is freed from the soil. The end of 

 the stem to which the dirt clings should be cut off and discarded. If 

 any dirt comes up which contains the fiber of spawn, this part should 

 be replaced in the bed. After picking the mushrooms, wherever the 

 stems have made a little hole in removing them from the earth, a 

 little soil should be added to cover this up again. 



The Spawn. 



Spawn can be obtained from any of the large seedsmen. The 

 spawn handled by these firms is imported. The spawii used in the 

 experiments on which this bulletin is based was obtained from the 

 Pure Culture Spawn Company of Columbia, Mo. This firm has on 

 the market three varieties of spawn known scs the Alaska, Columbia 

 and Bohemia, the first kind a whitish one, and the two latter with a 

 brownish cap, the Bohemia being a stouter mushroom than the other 

 two. It is possible with the method employed by this company to 

 cultivate varieties true to name because the spa\Mi is derived from 

 known varieties, whereas most or all of the imported spa"UTi may 

 contain several varieties mixed. 



Enemies of Mushroom Culture. 



Mushrooms are subject to a number of troubles which sometimes 

 interfere seriously with the crop. When the manure is poor there 

 is likely to be trouble from the fly. A large number of little maggots 

 are developed which feed in mushrooms. Mites are sometimes very 

 troublesome. Both of these troubles are likely to be more serious in 

 the warmer weather. Snails also, which are troublesome in green- 

 houses, are very fond of mushrooms. Lettuce leaves or cabbage 

 leaves should be placed near the beds or even on the beds, and the 

 beds should be visited at night when the snails are troublesome. 

 Then the mushrooms damp off or fog off. This is usually caused by 

 too much moisture on the surface of the bed. The beds need sprink- 

 ling occasionally with tepid water, but should never be made very 

 wet. Insects can largely be avoided by care in securing good manure 

 and in having the premises well cleaned before the beds are made. 

 When mushrooms are grown in successive years in the same place, 



