544 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



and a good depth, too, is an advantage, as this all tends to retain the 

 heat in the bed. We have found beds 18 inches or 2 feet deep bear 

 much longer than those half that depth ; and when material will allow, 

 there is nothing like making up a large, deep bed. Its size should be 

 ascertained before beginning, and a layer of stuff should be placed all 

 over the bottom first, and this repeated until the top is reached. As 

 each layer is put in it should be trodden down firmly with the feet. 

 After this the temperature in the bed will rise rapidly, and may reach 

 100° or more ; but the spawn must not be put iu' until the heat de- 

 clines to 80° or 85°. 



Good spawn is most important, and such must be used, or no skill 

 will bring the Mushrooms. One of the ordinary squares may be 

 broken up into a dozen or more pieces ; and one of these should be 

 dibbled in every foot all over the bed, and about 3 inches below the 

 surface. The holes made in doing this will let out a good deal of 

 heat, and when there is rather too much heat in the bed this will 

 generally rectify it, especially if the holes are left open for a few days ; 

 but it is always best to close them up before the temperature is too far 

 down, which it would be at 60° or so. As soon as the spawn-holes are 

 shut up, the bed may be soiled over. Various textures of soil have 

 been recommended for this purpose, but we find the soil from any 

 ordinary kitchen-garden very suitable as a rule. It may be put on 

 to about the depth of 3 inches, and it must be beaten very firm, and 

 the surface should be made quite smooth with a spade. It is best 

 when the soil can be beaten into a complete cake all over the surface ; 

 but if this cannot be managed without water, a little should be applied 

 to the surface until it is quite moist, and beaten immediately after- 

 wards, when a smooth surface will be formed. From the time the bed 

 is spawned it may be five or more weeks until the first Mushrooms 

 appear. Sometimes we have had them in four weeks, and at other 

 times it has been double this, much depending on the quality of the 

 spawn and the temperature of the bed and house. To keep up a con- 

 stant supply, a bed should be made up every three weeks. When a 

 bed has been bearing for some considerable time, and shows signs of 

 flagging, a thorough soaking with water at a temperature of 85° will 

 often put new vigour into the old material, and a fresh crop will be 

 the result ; but of course this will not continue so long as in the first 

 instance. Snails often destroy many Mushrooms, and small worms 

 eat the best part of some ; but a slight sprinkling of salt thrown over 

 the bed at their first attack will generally stop them. 



It may be added, that although Mushroom-culture in many instances 

 is one of the easiest of all our garden practices, it is not so in every 

 case, as failures sometimes occur where they are least expected, and 

 nothing is more obstinate than a Mushroom-bed, so that all precautions 

 should be taken in its preparation to reduce the chances of failure as 

 much as possible. J. MuiR. 



Margam. 



