MUS 



385 



MUS 



water is to pour it through a rose pan lightly with straw, but not otherwise. 

 on to a thin layer of hay, which has The warm showers of the ensuing spring 

 previously been spread over the bed, , will again cause an abundant produc- 

 and thus allowed to percolate by de- ; tion, as also in the autumn, if left; but 

 grees. In winter, waterings are not al- the beds are generally broken up for 

 lowable; to keep the mould moist, hot the sake of the dung, and the spawn 

 fermenting mulch may be put on outside collected and dried, 

 the covering. If the bed is in the open Hampers or bo.xes containing about 

 ground, in a warm day succeeding to wet i four inches depth of fresh, dry stable 

 weather, it may be left uncovered for not dung, or, in preference, of a mixture of 

 more than two or three hours. During three barrow loads of horse dung, and 

 excessive rains, the additional covering one perfectly dry cow dung, well pressed 

 of mats, &c., must be atforded ; and on in, may be set in some situation, where 

 the other hand, if a moderate warm , neither damp nor frost can enter. After 

 shower occurs during summer after ex- two or three days, or as soon as heat is 

 cessive droughts, it may be fully admit- generated, the spawn may be inserted, 



ted, by taking off the coverino 



a mushroom brick to be broken into 



Mode uf Gathering. — In gathering, three equal parts, and each fragment to 

 the covering being carefully turned oil", be laid lour inches asunder, on the sur- 



only such are to be taken as are half an 

 inch or more in diameter before they 

 become Hat, but are compact and firm. 

 Old mushrooms, especially, should be 

 rejected 'or the table, as it is found that 

 some which are innoxious when young, 

 become dangerous when tending to de- 

 cay ; they also then lose much of their 

 flavour. 



Each individual is detached by a gen 



face of the dung ; after six days an inch 

 ' and a half depth of fresh dung to be beat- 

 en down as before. In the course of a 

 fortnight, or as soon as it is found that 

 the spawn has run nearly through the 

 whole of the dung, mould must be ap- 

 plied two inches and a half thick, and 

 j the surface made level. This mould 

 [ must be prepared six months before 

 wanted, by laying alternate layers, of 



tie twist completely to the root; a knife ' six inches depth, of fresh stable dung, 

 must never be employed, for the stumps [ and three inches of light mould, to such 

 left in the ground decay, and become ' an extent as may be deemed necessary 

 the nursery of maggots, which are lia- [ for the supply of a year ; in six months 



ble to infect the succeeding crop. 



the dung will be sufficiently decayed. 



Other Modes of Cultivation. — Some [ and the whole may then be broken toge- 

 gardeners merely vary from the preced- I ther, and passed through a garden sieve 

 ing by building entirely of dung, with- ' for use. In five or six weeks the mush- 

 out any layers of earth. Many garden- i rooms will begin to come up, and if the 

 cars grow muslirooms in the same bed niould appear dry, may then be gently 

 with their melons and cucumbers. The j watered ; the water being slightly heat- 

 spawn is inserted in the mould and on i ed. Each box will continue in produc- 

 tlie I'.ills of the beds, as soon as the j tion six or eight weeks, 

 burnini; heat is passed. Mr. J. Oldaker, late gardener to the 



In September or October, when the I Emperor of Russia, introduced a house 

 bines of the plant decay, the bed is then purposely constructed for the growth 

 carefully cleaned, the glasses put on ! of the mushroom. The house is found 

 and kept close, and when the mould j of great use in storing brocoli during 

 becomes dry, water is frequently but | the winter. It is usually built against 

 moderately given, as well as every gen- | the back wall of a forcing house, as in 



tie shower admitted when necessary. 

 A gentle heat is thus caused, and the 

 produce is extraordinarily abundant, fre- 

 quently two bushels, from a frame ten 

 feet by six, and individuals have been 

 produced two pounds in weight. 



Mushrooms are thus produced with- 

 out any trouble but the giving moderate 

 waterings untd frost prevents their ve- 

 getation ; the glasses, if wanted, are 

 then removed, and the beds covered 

 25 



the annexed plan, but if built uncon- 

 nected with another building, the only 

 necessary alteration is to have a hipped 

 instead of a lean-to roof. The outside 

 wall, G H, should be eight feet and a 

 half high for four heights, the width ten 

 feet within the walls, which is most con- 

 venient, as it admits shelves three feet 

 and a half wide on each side, and a 

 space up the middle three feet wide, 

 for a double flue, and wall upon it. 



