MUSHROOMS 



411 



perature requirements are rather exacting. Special 

 piping is necessary in mushroom houses in order to main- 

 tain sufficient heat. 



Material for beds. Various kinds of organic materials 

 have been used 

 for the growing 

 of mushrooms, 

 but there seems 

 to be a consen- 

 sus of opinion 

 that fresh horse 

 manure gives 

 the best results. 

 Most growers 

 prefer that it 

 contain consid- 

 erable straw, al- 

 though good re- 

 sults are some- 

 times obtained 

 from manure 

 with a small 

 proportion of 

 bedding. If saw- 

 dust or shav- 

 ings have been 

 used for litter, more time will be required to effect proper 

 fermentation, and it is likely that such manure does not give 

 as uniformly good results as strawy manure. The French 

 growers prefer manure from grain-fed animals bedded 

 with rye straw. Any of the cereals grown in America 

 used for bedding grain-fed animals will produce manure 

 which is entirely satisfactory for the growing of mush- 

 rooms. It is desirable that the manure be fairly open 

 and porous after it has fermented, and the cereal straws 

 seem to bring about this condition. The large commer- 



Fig. 150. Mushroom beds in a modern house. 



