360 THE FLORIST. 



small patches of embryo Mushrooms, like pin heads, will soon be 

 detected. These generally appear in about six weeks after spawning, if 

 all has gone on right. Should the surface of the bed become dry, 

 sprinkle it over with tepid water from a fine rose, but the less water 

 the beds have at this early stage the better. When they have been in 

 bearing sometime, this will be necessary, as the Mushrooms exhaust 

 the soil. In gathering the crop twist the stems gently round, so as not 

 to injure the successional ones coming forward, and do not allow them 

 to get overgrown before gathering them, as they injure the young ones, 

 and prematurely exhaust the beds. A good bed will generally keep in 

 bearing six weeks or two months, and if a partial cessation in bearing 

 should occur, as sometimes will be the case, a good watering w4th tepid 

 water and covering the surface with straw for a week will generally 

 induce a second supply. 



Besides the above plan. Mushrooms may be grown in boxes twelve 

 inches deep, and any convenient size, or in pots, the process being much 

 the same, filling them with droppings, beat firm, and spawning and 

 earthing them, as advised above. The boxes may be placed in a cellar, 

 or warm out-house, and will produce Mushrooms plentifully at the 

 usual time. Two or three beds made at intervals of two months apart, 

 will furnish a good supply, and would prove very valuable to the 

 domestic economy of all who can command the use of a few loads of 

 horse-droppings yearly, and a cellar or out- house in which to make the 

 beds. Agaricus. 



STOKE NEWINGTON CHRYSANTHEMUM EXHIBITION. 



This show, which was held in the Manor Rooms on the I4th ult., being 

 the tenth Anniversary, fully equalled, and in the Pompone plants 

 surpassed, the best of the shows hitherto held. Nor has ics popularity 

 in the least abated — fully 40/. having been realised by the sale of 

 tickets. The total amount of prizes paid, including a splendid silver 

 cup, exceeded fifty guineas. Never was a trophy so gallantly won 

 as the said cup by Mr. Weatherill, gardener to D. M'Neill, Esq., whose 

 six plants of Pompone varieties immeasurably surpassed the best we 

 have hitherto seen — in truth were matchless marvels of high class cul- 

 tivation, from which we hope many may profit. The second collection 

 was even better than any previously produced, while the third and 

 fourth sets may be equal to those of past years ; in this class there 

 were nine exhibitors and six prizes. 



Of cut blooms a notion prevailed that they were inferior to those of 

 former displays ; we, however, did not so consider. Five guineas had 

 been subscribed and apportioned for such collections as should consist of 

 distinct varieties (24), while the Society's prizes admitted a limited 

 number of duplicates ; thus were many of our largest varieties kept to 

 single specimens, and smaller examples introduced, so as to gain the 

 special awards. In this the first four stands for the Society's prizes 

 were also successful, each rejecting the use of duplicates ; hence the 

 apparent falling off in the size of the specimens. 



