NOVEMBER. 343 



The beds, made in the manner herein described, will be firm, yet 

 elastic, and if the dung has been properly dried there will be little fear 

 of its overheating; at the same time its decomposition will be prevented, 

 and that mild heat, so congenial to the Mushroom, will be prolonged. 

 The plentiful use of earth, moreover, will tend to give it that firmness 

 of flesh and fineness of flavour which we seek for in vain in Mushrooms 

 grown in the dark, or on a bed of rancid dung. 



The principal requisites for the successful culture of the Mushroom 

 may be thus defined : — never allow the dung to get wet or to ferment, 

 keep a regular heat, and avoid all damp ; these, with a moderate share 

 of attention, will ensure a moderate crop of good Mushrooms. 



C. M. D. 



NOTES ON THE MONTH. 



"The extraordinary mildness of the season" which has lately given the 

 country newspapers a vast amount of trouble to chronicle all the proofs 

 which wondering countrymen like to have recorded — of Apple trees 

 blooming in September, of ripe Strawberries picked in October, and a 

 whole budget of similar extraor -dinar -ies — was brought to a close by the 

 sudden appearance of winter on the 21st, and which has continued up 

 to the day we write (the 24th), on the morning of which our thermo- 

 meter registered 10° of frost, the nights of the 22nd and 23rd having 

 shown 7° and 8°. There was a fall of snow on the morning of the 23rd 

 in some places two inches thick, and up to the present time there is 

 every appearance of a continuance of cold weather. The effect of this 

 has been to kill all the tender plants of the flower gardens, and many 

 kinds of vegetables. A frost of such severity, so early in the 

 season, has not occurred for many years ; and without wishing to speak 

 in the spirit of a prediction, we incline to the opinion, formed on 

 observations of our own, that we shall have an early winter. 



The unusual warmth of September and the early portion of October, 

 attended with the drenching showers which have frequently fallen, has 

 had a wonderful effect on all kinds of green crops, both field and garden. 

 Swedes and Turnips were never better, notwithstanding that here and 

 there the Black Jack has committed devastations with the latter. 

 Potatoes have been a total failure in some localities, but much better in 

 others. As the cause of failure can now be clearly traced to the effect 

 of electrical storms, we hope some of our scientific men will further 

 investigate this important subject, if only to show the connexion between 

 the cause and effect. The fruit crop taken generally has been a very 

 short one. Apples in certain situations have partially succeeded, and 

 in others are a total failure ; we hear that on the south-west coast, 

 that is from Brighton to Cornwall, the crops are good, particularly in 

 South Devon, where the yield of cyder is stated to be a very large one. 

 Pears are a very short crop, and are ripening early, so that the fruit- 

 rooms will soon be clear of all but the very latest kinds ; Plums were 



