KITCHEN-GARDENING. 97 



shelter ; it is frequently found in old hotbeds and dunghills in 

 the summer season, and Mushrooms of good quality may often 

 be seen beginning to form on the surface, like large peas. When 

 these are absorbed it is time to take out the spawn, which is 

 generally in hard, dry lumps of dung, the spawn having the 

 appearance of whitish coarse pieces of thread. The true sort 

 has exactly the smell of a Mushroom. If spawn thus collected 

 be required for immediate use, it may be planted in the beds 

 at once, or it will keep three or four years, if laid to dry with 

 the earth adhering to it, and afterwards placed in a warm, dry 

 shed, where there is a current of air; but if it be not com 

 pletely dried the spawn will exhaust itself or perish, as it will 

 not bear the extremes of heat, cold, or moisture. 



HOW TO MAKE MUSHROOM-BEDS. 



Mushroom-beds are simply heaps of animal dung and earth, 

 so tempered as to be capable of producing and preserving 

 spawn ; but in order to have fruitful spawn at all times, it 

 should be so formed as to be always at command. To this 

 end, a quantity of fresh horse-droppings mixed with short 

 litter should be collected. Add to this one-third of cow-dung 

 and a small portion of good earth, to cement it together ; mash 

 the whole into a thin compost, like grafting-clay ; then form it 

 in tlie shape of bricks ; which being done, set them on edge, 

 and frequently turn them until half dry ; then with a dibble 

 make one or two holes in each brick, and insert in each 

 hole a piece of spawn the size of an egg ; the bricks should 

 then be laid where they can dry gradually. When dry, lay 

 dry horse-dung on a level floor, six or eight inches thick ; on 

 this pile the bricks, the spawn side uppermost. When the 

 pile is snugly formed, cover it with a small portion ^ of fresh 

 warm horse-dung, sufficient in quantity to produce a gentle 

 glow through the whole. When the spawn has spread itself 

 through every part of the bricks, the process is ended, and 

 they may be laid up in any dry place for use. Mushroom 

 spawn, made according to this receipt, will preserve its vege- 



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