MONTHLY CALENDAR. 517 



'down, will continue in bearing. If mildew appears, sprinkle the leaves, and 

 dust with sulphur ; but if very bad, it is better to stai't new plants. If started 

 -on new beds now, they will continue bearing until Christmas, and with care 

 all the winter ; but they should be on good 4-foot beds, so that good 

 linings may be applied ; for, as the season wanes, and the weather becomes 

 colder, heat must be provided accordingly. Give fruiting plants the benefit 

 •of gentle showers. 



1618. Melons. — The same directions apply to these now as formerly. 

 Where the fruit is swelling, keep up a brisk heat and plenty of moisture ; but 

 where it is approaching ripeness, let the beds gradually dry off : also, where 

 fruit is setting, maintain a moderately dry atmosphere, as they do not set well 

 if kept damp at the time. 



1619. Mushrooms. — To make a bed for a good supply of these in the 

 autumn, it should be done in a shed, or some dry airy place. Let a good 

 quantity of short stable-dung be got under cover, and mix about one-third the 

 quantity of soil with it. Some gardeners disregard this process, but I cer- 

 tainly think it an improvement. Let the mixture be worked backwards and 

 forwards at least a fortnight ; if for a longer time, it will be better, for the 

 material cannot be too short ; but take care never to lay it together, for the 

 increased pressure causes a rank, fetid smell, which is by all means to be 

 avoided, since it would be destructive to the crop. Never lay it above four 

 feet in height, — rather less than otherwise: when ready, proceed to make the 

 •bed in a ridge or conical form. As this gives the greater surface for the 

 crop, beat the dung well in the process, and, when finished, let it remain for 

 a day or two ; then ascertain the temperature, either by placing a ther- 

 mometer in it, or thrusting a stick into it : if, after remaining a day or night, 

 the thermometer should indicate not above 80°, or the stick on withdrawal 

 feels comfortably warm, it is time to spawn it. ]\Iuch has been said about 

 letting the bed all but cool before spawning, — I have found it best to choose a 

 high rather than low temperature ; the spawn sets to work more freely and 

 rapidly, and the mushrooms come up more uniform over the bed. The process 

 •of spawning has been already described. It is not advisable to case the bed 



(that is, putting a case of good firesh loamy soil of about two or three inches 

 in thickness all over it) immediately after sjiawning ; but cover thinly with 

 straw for a day or two, or till the spawn just begins to take hold of the dung ; 

 then case it, beating the soil firmly, and, lastly, put on straw enough to 

 exclude the light ; and as the weather and the bed cool, increase the cover- 

 ing and add garden-mats. In making mushroom-beds, much depends on 

 the quality of the spawn. Good spawn, which ought to be pi-ocured at all 

 nurseries, &c., is full of fine downy-looking threads, and smells exactly like 

 •mushrooms: it is sometimes found in plenty in heaps of old manure, that 

 lave been several years without being disturbed. 



1620. Corn Salad sown now in a cold frame will be very useful in winter. 

 It is merely necessary to place 16 inches of earth in the frame, and sowing on 

 that, treading or otherwise matting the surface of the soil firmly. Some young 



