THE MUSHROOM BED 



PERCY CASBURN, DESERONTO, ONT. 



1 



' HE first step in making a mushroom 

 bed is to collect enough horse 

 manure. This should not be allowed to 

 become wet and should be put under a shed 

 to heat. Turn it several times to prevent 

 drying. 



Prepare the beds by placing boards 14 

 inches deep around the sides. Two or 

 three feet will be M^ide enough for the beds. 

 Put the manure in and pack firm. W'hen 

 the temperature is down to 85 degrees break 

 the spawn into pieces about two inches 

 square, make holes and plant the spawn 12 

 inches apart all over the 'bed. Cover the 

 spawn and beat firm. 



After the spawn has been in a week, cover 

 with two inches of good loam and beat firm 

 and smooth. Water carefully with a fine 

 spray, with water the same temperature as 

 the bed. Do not allow the bed to become 

 dry, as after the mushrooms appear, which 

 will be in about six weeks, no water can be 

 given. If watered then the mushrooms 

 damp oflF. 



I generally start my first beds in early 

 April. Where there is artificial heat the beds 

 can be made at any season. Mushrooms re- 

 ()uire a temperature of 45 to 50 degrees. 



I have had beds bearing until SeptemJber. 

 If artificial heat is applied, and a mixture of 

 dried cow manure given with a little fine 

 soil, covering the bed with half an inch of 

 the preparation, and a good watering is 

 given, a second crop will soon appear. The 

 best soil for covering a bed is good sandy 

 loam, such as is used for potting plants. 



Asparagus roots should be planted at in- 

 tervals of 12 inches in the row, the crowns 

 four to six inches below the surface. Spring 

 is the preferable time. Two year old roots 

 should be used. It is not desirable to cut 

 asparagus for the table until the second sea- 

 son, or two full years from planting, as this 

 interval is necessary for the proper estab- 

 lishment of the bed. 



Any soil that will produce a good com 

 crop will make a good strawberry bed. 



The Mushroom Bed of Mr. Percy Casburn, Deseronto, Ont. 



194 



