CHAP. XV VILLA GARDENING 457 



being- the best months. Many cultivators make up a number of 

 beds then, and spawn them when ready, but do not apply the soil 

 till some time after. I have had beds left without soil till they 

 had become one mass of spawn two or three months after spawning, 

 and such beds always produce large crops of very thick fot Mush- 

 rooms. Usually a Mushroom bed will begin to bear in about a 

 month or six weeks after soiling ; but it nuist be confessed that 

 they are rather erratic in their movements, and will not always 

 begin to bear so soon. The materials for the beds should be as 

 fresh as can be obtained, and should not have undergone any 

 violent fermentation. The manure must be dried, but without 

 being exposed to violent heat. As the manure is collected, spread 

 it out to dry in an open shed, and turn it every four days. It may 

 heat mildly, but strong heat is injurious. Some beds are made up 

 with horse manure alone, and when this is plentiful nothing else 

 need be used. The manure should be obtained from stables where 

 the horses are well fed upon dry food — that from entire horses 

 l^eing considered the best. Mushroom beds have been known to 

 fail through using manure from the stable where the horses were 

 taking physic, or having a large allowance of soft food, such as 

 Carrots, etc. All the littery material should be taken out, but I 

 have often used the latter to form the foundations of the beds, 

 damping it if dry, and laying from 6 to 8 inches of droppings on 

 the top for the spawn to work in. Very often when droppings 

 have not come to hand fast enough, I have used a proportion of 

 loam with the manure in making up the beds, varying the 

 quantities a little according to the freshness of the manure. 

 Usually one barrowful of loam to three of manure will do very 

 well mixed together. If this proportion be observed the manure 

 may be used nearly fresh or with very little drying. Similar 

 materials blended in the same way will do, no matter where the 

 beds are made, whether in the open air or the Mushroom-house. 



Having obtained a sufficiency of the proper kind of material for 

 a bed, in the right condition — that is, thoroughly intermixed — a 

 layer 4 inches thick should be placed on the floor of the bed, and 

 trampled or beaten with a wooden mallet. Another layer of equal 

 thickness is added, and the same beating process carried out, and 

 so on till the bed is made of sufficient thickness, or say about 1 

 foot or 15 inches in depth, which will be enough at all seasons for 

 beds in heated houses. Where there are no means of applying 

 artificial heat, such as pipes or flues, the bed may be increased a 

 little in thickness, in order to cause a little more warmth ; but 

 firmness is very essential, as the bed may get too hot at first and 

 then become cool afterwards, though coverings of litter may be 



