282 



Mycological Bulletin Nos. 71 and 72 



[Vol. IV 



CULTIVATING THE MUSHROOM. 



It seems very appropriate to an interest in mycology that this subject 

 should be an important one. We have already issued a "Mushrooiii No." 

 and desire to call attention to work along the line suggested by the 

 Bulletin from which we quoted so liberally. Profiting by that work started 

 by Dr. Duggar. establishments are now undertaking to furnish pure-cul- 

 ture spawn to customers, and thus one of the sources of embarrassment 

 in growing mushrooms is relegated to a minor place. Without further 

 comment I will quote from a catalog and guide book issued by a reliable 

 firm and leave the matter in the hands of my subscribers who may be 

 interested in this phase of the subject. (And our advertising pages should 

 also be consulted.) 



Fig. 217. First testing tf Spawn and varieties. (Cut friim Pure Culture S|ia\vn Co.'i 



QUOTATIONS RELATIVE TO PURE CULTURE SPAWN. 



"Early in 1904 the work of the Pure Culture Spawn Co. was pro- 

 iectcd. For srm.e time pre\ious ? member of the company lad been em- 

 ployed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture to investigate a variety of 

 problems connected with the growing of mushrooms. Every phase of the 

 industry was considered. 



"One was to determine what was the best kind of !U ishroom spawn. 

 All known sorts of spawn from England, h'raucc and .\nierica were tested. 

 Tn this spawn test was a new kmd, a spawn produced from the tissue of 

 selected mushrooms. The idea was rot new, but the apiilic tion was. No 

 one liad ever grown anything but spawn of the ordinrry wild field nrisli- 

 rooms. It was thought that spawn grown from selected productive cul- 

 tivated varieties would make mushroom growing nKU'e i)rolitaI)le. It did. 

 Results followed. 



The important features of the new si)awn were its quick, strong 

 groutli. (|nick fruiting and Inrge mushrooms. Most important of all was 

 the large yields,— two to three times more than any other spawn. The 

 usefuhie>-s of such spawn could he easily understood. It remained to 

 simplify the methods by which such s])awn could be i)roduced at a rea- 

 sonable iirice and still preserve all the advantages of f|"ick growth, qui'-k 



