No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 221 



of the plants. A little slower action is obtained by using dried 

 blood or cotton-seed meal or any form of animal matter that decays 

 quickly and easily. When, however, it is desired to make a heavy 

 application that shall last through the whole of a rotation, there is 

 probably nothing better that can be used than stable manure. Fart 

 of the nitrogen in ordinary barnyard manure exists in the soluble 

 form and is immediately available to the crop of the first year. 

 Another portion decays easily and is used by the crop of the fol- 

 lowing year, while a third part is more slowly attacked by the germs 

 of the soil and furnishes nitrogen to several successive crops. 



The theory of plant fertilization here advocated may be summed 

 up as follows: Add a liberal supply of phosphoric acid and potash 

 to the soil so as to make it certain that the crops have all they can 

 possibly use of the elements. Add nitrogen in such forms and 

 quantities as to furnish at all times a liberal supply and yet no 

 considerable surplus. Add each year to each field more plant food 

 than the crop has removed. Under these conditions you know that 

 you will raise each year the largest crop possible under your given 

 conditions; that the farm will be growing continually better under 

 your hand, and that when you are called to resign your stewardship 

 you will have the commendation of your own conscience — "Well 

 done, good and faithful servant." 



The CHAIR: The next number on the program will now be taken 

 up. "The Cultivation of Mushrooms," by Thomas Sharpless, of West 

 Chester, Pa. 



The address of Mr. Sharpless is as follows: 



THE CULTIVATION OF MUSHROOMS. 



By Thomas Shahpless, West Chester, Pa. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: I do not know who is re- 

 sponsible for putting me on the program to talk to you about the cul- 

 tivation of mushrooms. What knowledge I have gathered is from 

 other people and some little experience I have had myself. The cul- 

 tivation of mushrooms is not strictly agriculture but it is an adjunct, 

 helping out the sometimes meagre profit of the dairying business of 

 this section of the country. It is a business in which there is a great 

 deal of labor, and no person wishes to undertake it at all unless 

 he is able to command that labor. As an addition to farming or the 

 dairy where a man is compelled from necessity to keep a very con- 

 siderable amount of labor about him, he can work in some mush- 



