48 ■ MUSHROOM GROWING AND SPAWN MAKING. 



nieiits were made were wholly uiisalisfactory, and that, therefore, no 

 faA'orable results could be anticipated. Among those whose reports 

 indicated that the conditions were favorable, or fairly favorable, only 

 a small percentage reported failures, while four-fifths of those claim- 

 ing success secured yields of more than one-half pound per square 

 foot of bed space, many ol)taining more than 1 pound per square 

 foot. In two instances a yield of nearly 2 i)ounds to the scjuare 

 foot was reported. The frontispiece, Plate T. a bed in full bearing, 

 and l*late VII, figure 1, showing the nuishrooms as ]^re})ared for mar- 

 ket, are photographs furnished by cooperating growers who are now 

 also making spawn of pure-culture origin. It was suggested to 

 growers Avho received the experimental spawn that a comparative test 

 of the English or other commercial spawns Avith that received from 

 the Department of Agriculture would be of interest. Comparative 

 tests were made and reported by 10 growers. In most cases the 

 English spawn, obtained at random on the market, failed to groAV. 

 In only one case did the English spaAvn prove better than the pure- 

 culture product, and in this instance the spaAvn furnished by the 

 Department Avhen used Avas nearly one year old. 



Failures may ahvays be anticipated Avhen attempts are made to 

 groAv mushrooms under acU'erse conditions, and it must be said that 

 greater success Avas obtained from the cooperatiA^e Avork than could 

 have been hoped for, considering the fact that many of the persons 

 Avho sent in reports Avere Avholly inexperienced and Avere practically 

 unguided. 



During the present year experimental mushroom spaAvn has been 

 sent to more than '200 interested persons, and this Avill doubtless be 

 the last general distribution of this product by the Department of 

 Agriculture. Representing the varieties of Af/nrici/s campestrh 

 commonly groAvn. mushroom spawn of pure-culture origin is noAv an 

 established market product. In order that the standard of the 

 American spaAvn may be maintained, spawn makers, dealers, and 

 groAvers should see to it that only the fresh, recently dried product 

 is used. 



Nevertheless, it is hoped that this cooperative Avork may be carried 

 forAvard, looking toward the deA'elopment of better varieties or the 

 bringing into culture and the testing of ucav species. 



CAVE FACILITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. 



CaA-e facilities in the United States are by no means so meager as 

 has been supposed. There are in some sections caves from Avhic' 

 rock for Portland cement has been mined. Some of these haA^e been 

 utilized for mushroom groAviiig. There are also natural caves of 

 great extent in many of the States of the Central West — especially 



