THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 149 



In making the bed, either on the shelves or floor of the mush- 

 room-house, take some long litter from the dung-heap, and lay at 

 the bottom ; then let the prepared dung be put on in layers to the 

 depth of two feet, being well beaten down as the process goes on. 

 "When the bed is made, it is proper to have two or more trying 

 sticks thrust down in different parts to draw up occasionally, in 

 order to ascertain the heat. After the vehement heat has subsided, 

 and the bed is lowered to a very moderate or mild heat, then, and 

 not before, put in the spawn, previously breaking the large lumps 

 into moderately small pieces, and planting it into the dung at one 

 foot apart. Then take the earth of previously made exhausted beds, 

 and scatter it all over the surface ; it will answer two purposes. 

 When the spawn begins to run, cover the bed with strong rich 

 earth mixed with a little cow-dung, and, after it is finally earthed 

 over, let the surface be smoothed, and well beaten with the back of 

 a spade ; two inches of earth is quite sufScient. 



In making mushroom beds out of doors, take a sufficient quantity 

 of dung prepared as already directed, and with it make the bed in 

 the form of a ridge, four or five feet wide at bottom, and three or 

 four feet high, gradually narrowed to the top. The process of 

 making the bed is the same as that described in the mushroom- 

 house. It should be made in a dry sheltered situation, and on level 

 ground, in preference to making the lower part in a trench, in order 

 to have the opportunity of spawning it quite to the bottom, and 

 also that water may not settle in that part to check the heat ; mark 

 out the proper width and intended length, and then commencing 

 at the bottom part by a layer of prepared dung, as before observed. 

 Begin at one end, and work up the sides equally in a gradually 

 sloping manner, and forming the ends nearly in the same proportion. 

 Observe to put in the spawn as before directed, for the heat should 

 be only sufficient to set the spawn in vegetative motion, so as to 

 extend its fibres into the dung and earth ; and this degree of heat 

 should continue for some considerable time in a moderate growing 

 manner, to promote and forward the knotting of the mushrooms. 

 When the bed is spawned, and earthed over, it may be directly 

 covered with a good thickness of dry straw, and an external coating 

 of mats, pegged down at each side of the bed. 



As the mushroom is subject to the attacks of insects during the 

 summer months, it is necessary here to add that the only means of 

 keeping aw^ay the enemy is by putting a layer of coal ashes beneath 

 the bed, and mixing a little soot with the covering of earth. In 

 watering, make holes one foot apart in the bed, and fill each hole as 

 the bed becomes dry. 



To keep up a succession throughout the season, take this as a 

 rule : — As soon as mushrooms appear on one bed, make the pre- 

 parations for another. The temperature of the mushroom-house 

 may be kept from 40' to 60\ In a month or six weeks after spawn- 

 ing, if the bed works kindly, it will produce mushrooms ; and, if 

 kept in good order, it will continue in bearing for several months. 



In examining the beds out of doors, or when gathering the 

 produce, turn off the straw covering very carefully ; and, as the 



