MUSHEOOM PESTS AND HOW TO CONTROL THEM. 



care taken to secure uniformity in the fermentation of the compost 

 renders improbable any danger from this source, since a uniform 

 heat of 150^ F. or more is frequently attained in the process, this be- 

 ing sufficient to destroy maggots and other pests which may be pres- 

 ent. In case of serious infestation of the compost before planting, 

 however, it may be well to disinfect or sterilize this substance by 

 means of steam heat. This may be accomplished for small houses by 

 placing the manure or soil in vats or boxes through which steam pipes 

 are conducted. (See fig. 2.) In large mushroom houses, which are 

 heated by steam, a number of pipes may be laid beneath the surface 

 of the beds, in a manner similar to that used in greenhouses for 

 sterilizing the soil of the benches. The manure should be heated to a 

 temperature of 150° F., which will destroy all animal life occurring 

 therein without injury to its capacity for producing mushi-ooms. 

 Fumigation w i t h 

 carbon disulphid 

 just - previous to 

 spawning is also 

 productive of good 

 results in destroy- 

 ing maggots in the 

 compost. The disul- 

 phid should be used 

 at a strength of 2 to 

 4 pounds to 1,000 

 cubic feet of space 

 and should be evaporated in shallow pans placed in the highest 

 part of the house. Carbon disulphid is very injianiTnable and the 

 liberated gas is explosive when brought into contact with fire or 

 sparks^ so that care should be used to avoid bringing any fire into 

 the building during the process of fumigation. 



One of the best methods for the destruction of the adults or flies in 

 their occurrence in mushroom houses is fumigation with tobacco or 

 nicotine preparations, such as are used in greenhouses. These should 

 be used in accordance with the directions indicated on the package for a 

 medium or heavy fumigation.^ Used in this manner and applied once 

 a week during the bearing season of the mushroom bed, this method 

 has been so successful in i-educing the number of flies that very little 

 damage, if any, resulted from the larvae. 



Fumigation with best quality fresh pyrethrum insect powder or 

 dusting the powder over the beds is also effective against the mush- 



1 The proportion of nicotine in tlie several preparations varies to such an extent that 

 no standard dose has as yet been formulated. 



-Steaming box, or sterilizer, for the treatment of com- 

 post. (Author's illustration.) 



