SECRETARY'S PORTFOLIO. 469 



after the manner of berths in state-rooms of steam-boat's. Heat can be sup- 

 plied when needed. 



Horse manure freshly made is the basis of the heating material for the beds. 

 The coarsest part of the straw is removed, yet leaving a good proportion of 

 the short, say a foot long, with the dropping. The manure heap is turned over 

 two or three times until the violent heat and smell have left it. Thus pre- 

 pared, the manure is placed in the beds to the depth of about fifteen inches — 

 in a manner similar to that of making the hot-beds — and left to heat again. 

 If found to remain too cool it is covered with hay to assist in raising the tem- 

 perature. Should the heat rise over 120° Fahr., the beds are made over again. 

 When the heat is at about 98° — never above this — it is time for spawning. 

 English spawn is preferred to the French. 



The spawn is placed in lumps about the size of hens' eggs, every eight inches 

 and four inches deep. In ten or twelve days it is examined to see if the threads 

 of the spawn have penetrated all parts of the surface, when it will be found 

 that the threads have followed along the straw contained in the heap. In case 

 all straw has been removed, more time is required. 



As soon as the spawn has penetrated the mass, inverted sods, taken from 

 good, rich soil, about two inches deep, are placed over the entire bed. In 

 from four to six weeks, the mushroom will generally appear over the surface. 

 For early crops the beds are made in September, for the later in November. 

 The best temperature for a mushroom-house is 65°; if much above this the 

 mushrooms run to stem, if below 50° they cease to grow, and between 50° and 

 60° they are very apt to become tough. In very cold weather artificial heat is 

 provided. These beds will supply mushrooms from two to three months. 

 Water is given only when necessary, and then only in small quantity at a time, 

 an order not to dampen off the stems. 



One of the greatest enemies to the mushroom is the wood-louse. To guard 

 against this the house and beds have to be kept very clean, and all the wood- 

 work is thoroughly whitewashed. 



Cloth for Hot-beds. — This is what one who has had experience says about 

 the use of cloth for hot-beds: 



I have used simply cotton sheeting, but for earlier use and to render the 

 cloth air tight and warmer, use the following preparation: One quart raw linseed 

 oil, one ounce pulverized sugar of lead, and two ounces pulverized rosin. Heat 

 in an iron Vettle till all is dissolved, and apply with a brush, while hot, to the 

 muslin while stretched over a frame. Endeavor to apply when two successive 

 clear days can be had to dry it well before placing it over the vapor and heat of 

 a bed. 



Ready for use, these cost in money $1.25, and in labor enough to make the 

 entire cost nearly equal the interest on glass for one year. In careful hands 

 they will serve three seasons. They do not gather heat so rapidly during the 

 day as glass, and hence there is less danger of burning or drawing plants; nor 

 do they throw heat so fast at night, and so need less covering. Fitting tight to 

 the frames they admit of no drafts, undergo no sudden changes, and suffer 

 little from dampening off. Old gardeners are usually prejudiced against them 

 at first thought, but I notice after once trying them they anually increase their 

 number, finding them a cheap way of increasing their beds, causing no break- 

 age like glass in careless hands, and are stored at less expense, and answer 

 many other uses during the year. 



