8 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



nature. Assuming that fungi possess microscopic seeds, he gave 

 a rational explanation of the origin of fungi in horse-dung, 

 etc. He supported his views by analogies with seed-plants, 

 and estimated the value of the minute size of the reproductive 

 bodies. His belief that all fungi are reproduced from seed is 

 expressed as follows: "We should be still less to be excused than the 

 ancients, if we thought as they did, because for us the number of plants 

 which have no visible seed is very much smaller. Therefore without 

 fear, we can advance the view that all fungi have seeds, and we may 

 rest assured that, if ever experiment should succeed in clearing up the 

 matter, it will justify us." 



The writings of Tournefort and of the anonymous Frenchman 

 which have just been cited, show that, at the beginning of the eighteenth 

 century, the existence of reproductive bodies was a matter rather of 

 speculation than of exact knowledge. Nevertheless, the art of raising 

 Mushrooms on artificial beds was at this time well known and exten- 

 sively practised, more especially by the gardeners around Paris. A 

 flood of light is thrown on the Mushroom culture of the period in the 

 very interesting paper of Tournefort, to which a reference has already 

 been made, called Observations sur la naissance et sur la culture des 

 Champignons} The technique of preparing the dung, turning it with 

 a fork, and moistening it with water, preparing spawn, drying it for 

 keeping, and sowing the beds with it, covering the beds with earth and 

 regulating their temperature, had been developed ; so that it is evident 

 that gardeners, by the beginning of the eighteenth century, had already 

 had a great deal of experience in growing Mushrooms.^ Even such 

 terms as gobeter, lardon, etc., which are still used by Parisian champig- 

 nonists, were commonly employed. The beds were made in the open 

 and not in caves as at present.^ To procure spawn in the first place, 

 manure beds were made up at the beginning of April, and it was left 

 to chance to develop the mycelium of the Mushroom. At the be- 



' Tournefort, loc. cit. 



2 The exact date when Mushrooms began to be cultivated from spawn is uncer- 

 tain. In England the practice appears to have been unknown up to the middle of 

 the seventeenth century, for writers like Francis Bacon (Sylva Sylvarum, London, 

 1627, pp. 140-141) and Parkinson (Theatrum Botanicum, London, 1640, pp. 1316- 

 1324) make no mention of it; but in 1731 Miller (Gardener's Dictionary, London, 

 art. Mushrooms) gives full details for the making of Mushroom beds, and says that 

 Mushrooms "are annually cultivated by the Gardeners near London. . . . 

 who cultivate them for sale." 



' Caves were not used at Paris for. Mushroom culture until the latter part of the 

 nineteenth century. Their employment was initiated by M. Monin who died in 

 1905. Cf. Cohendy, La Culture des Champignons comestibles (Journal Mensuel), 

 Paris, Ann. 2, 1908, p. 271. 



