50 MUSHROOM GROWING AND SPAWN MAKING. 



along tliis line the writer has made a special attempt to acquaint 

 himself with the conditions in that section of the conntry. This has 

 seemed particularly desirable, inasmuch as fresh mushrooms could 

 not be shipped to the far West from sections in which they are at 

 ])resent grown in quantity. From the information obtained it is 

 thought that successful open-air mushroom growing might be antici- 

 pated in those sections where the average temperature is between 

 48° and 55° F., provided there are relatively few days when the 

 temperature falls as low as 82° F. At the same time, open-air cul- 

 ture can not be reconnnended for those sections in which dry wnnds 

 are prevalent. As a rule, during the wet or winter season the rain- 

 fall is so light that heavy mulching Avould probably suffice to prevent 

 injury from excessive wetting. Nevertheless, it seems apparent that 

 even in regions most favorable for open-air culture some inexpensive 

 partial protection against the changes of temijerature due to direct 

 sunlight, or against heavy rainfall, Avould be desirable. 



It was also ascertained that Agaricus eojnpesfris appears naturally 

 in some quantity during the months of January and February, or 

 longer, during the rainy season. This, how^ever, is also true of other 

 species of fleshy fuiigi. The large size of some of the specimens of 

 Agaricus campestris and ^1. arvensis found would seem to suggest 

 that they were j^roduced from an unusually vigorous mycelium. 

 This may be the result of a condition analogous to that previously 

 mentioned, where, on account of the Ioav temjjerature of the atmos- 

 ])here, the spawn may develop slowly through a considerable period, 

 and finally, under favorable conditions, sporophores of unusual size 

 are produced. 



In the following table ai'e given the monthly mean temperatures 

 from several representative stations in California during the years 

 1899 and 1900. From this table it will be seen that so far as the 

 mean temperature is concerned Eureka and San Francisco would be 

 especially favorable during a large portion of the year. Independ- 

 ence and Red Bluff are likewise satisfactory, wdiile San Luis Obispo, 

 Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego show a mean wdiich is 

 perhaps rather too high. The moisture of the atmosphere, the 

 prevalence of hot winds, the variation in the daily temperature, and 

 the number of hot or cold days must all be considered. From the 

 data obtained, the general conclusion seems to be that the most favor- 

 able regions are those where conditions correspond closely to those of 

 Eureka and San Francisco. This, however, represents a large region, 

 including a considerable jDortion of the- San Joaquin and of the 

 Sacramento valleys. In a few places experiments have already been 

 undertaken to determine the possibilities for the development of this 

 work, l^ut no definite recommendations can be made until the experi- 



