ice-house, than which nothing can be more suitable, as it serves the double pur- 

 pose of keeping out the extreme heat of summer, and the cold of winter, both of 

 which are preventives to success. On each side (inside the house), there ought 

 to be two or three heights of shelves, about four feet wide and three feet apart, 

 with a board ten inches wide, placed in front of each, for the purpose of making 

 so many beds as succession crops. Notwithstanding this contrivance, it is requisite 

 during very severe weather to have some artificial heat, which is sometimes sup- 

 plied by a common flue placed along the ground, level, and in the middle of the 

 house ; but as there is some danger attending this, and the warmth therefrom is 

 of a very drying nature, it is better to fix the lower shelf about three feet high, 

 and, when required, to keep the under space filled with fresh, fermenting, and 

 somewhat dry stable manure, and the droppings as below described, which will 

 give out enough heat and genial moisture to raise the temperature sufficiently. 

 Where expense is not an object, and there is a regular arrangement of houses for 

 the forcing of vegetables in the winter, the Mushroom house may form a part of 

 the whole ; and if hot water is employed for heating, a pipe may be introduced 

 into it, which is certainly the most cleanly and perfect mode. 



Hoio to make Spmcn. — The next preparation is a quantity of good spawn, which 

 may be made as follows : Take equal portions of unfermented horse and cow ma- 

 nure, and fresh earth from a pasture field ; mix and work these together. Add 

 sufficient water to reduce the mass into the consistency of stiff mortar. Mould 

 into the form, and about the size of common building bricks ; set into an open 

 shed, and turn them over once a day, until nearly dried through ; then cut a hole 

 of an inch diameter into the centre of each ; fill up with a piece of good spawn, 

 and paste over the aperture with a little cow dung ; build the whole into a conical 

 heap, first strewing some littery stable manure underneath, and, as the work pro- 

 ceeds, fill in between each layer with an inch of half-fermented, dry, horse drop- 

 pings ; cover with a few inches of the same, and as much litter as will enable the 

 heap to acquire a gentle warmth, hut not more, or the spawn will be killed. In 

 the summer time, there is generally heat enough without any fermentation, and 

 care should be used on this point. If all goes on well, the rhizoma will have 

 penetrated through the whole substance in three or four weeks, which may be 

 known by its appearing full of fine, white threads ; but if, when examined, it is 

 found to be only so around the piece previously put in, the spawn is not sufficiently 

 run, and it should be left undisturbed a week or two longer. After this time, ex- 

 amine again, and do not let it become too far advanced, or the keeping properties 

 will be very much depreciated. When all is right, remove the bricks into a dry 

 and cool room, protected from frost in winter, where they may be preserved good 

 for several years. I have used Mushroom spawn five years old, and found it as 

 good as when first made. Hitherto, we have only shown so far as to require a 

 small portion of "leaven" to commence with, and there are many persons so situ- 

 ated as not to be able to get this. There are not many places, however, where 

 horses, cows, or sheep, are not stabled, and the manure lying around, and it often 

 happens that more or less has been accidentally protected from extreme wet. These 

 are the spots to look for natural spawn, and, when found, a very small portion is 

 enough for a stnrt. Do not collect any that may be produced from decaying 

 wood or leaves, for, notwithstanding it may run in the prepared compost, there is 

 danger of its not being the right kind. It may be another species of the same 

 genus, and probably a poisonous one ; while, by attending to this advice, the true 

 sort is sure to be obtained. The edible Mushroom may always be known by its 

 plump, solid, and fleshy appearance, brittle texture, and, above all, the beautiful 

 color of the lamincE, or gills, on the under side of ih.Q pileus, or cap ; 



