594 



MUSHROOMS AND TOADSTOOLS. 



The mushrooms that are sold in hermetically 

 sealed tin cans are cultivated in immense caves 

 or cellars beneath the soil, in Paris or its vicin- 

 ity. Space not otherwise valuable is thus util- 

 ized, and a uniform degree of moisture and 

 temperature more easily maintained. They 

 are of one variety, the champignon de couche 

 (Agaricus campestris), of French authorities, 

 gathered in the button, or early stage of growth. 



The reason why there is one fungus that is 

 called a mushroom, and that this is universally 

 found in the markets of the world, is simply 

 because its conditions of growth are understood, 

 and, further, that the means of supplying these 

 conditions are within easy reach. In its wild 

 form this mushroom (Agaricus (psalliota) cam- 

 pestris) follows grazing cattle, especially the 

 horse, in whose manure it comes spontaneously, 

 not, however, in the warm or fermented stage. 

 At the base of a manure-heap, where the drop- 

 pings have combined with farm- yard soil, will be 

 found cakes of compost permeated by a white, 

 mold-like substance, recognized by experts 

 as mushroom-spawn. The formation of this 

 spawn from the spore is a mystery. The only 

 thing that can be said is, that an infinite mul- 

 tiplication of cells, and consequent growth of 

 cellular tissue, seems to begin at the spore and 

 end with the perfected mushroom. There are 

 good reasons for saying that this process is 

 initiated in the union of two spores of opposite 

 sex, by some affinity attracted, and attached at 

 their ends ; that copulation and impregnation 

 succeed, after which the cells form and multi- 

 ply from each parent with incredible rapidity. 

 This is what is meant by the phrase in use 

 among cultivators that " the spawn has begun 

 to run." In order that this may take place, 

 the conditions of fertility must either exist nat- 

 urally, as in the case of the little mound in the 

 meadow, and the manure-heap, or they must 

 be supplied artificially, as in the case of the 

 mushroom-cave or the greenhouse. The Aga- 

 ricus arvensis is probably but the Agaricus 

 campestris in a more cultivated form ; as be- 

 tween these two species are found intermediate 

 types quite different from either extreme. But 

 authorities differ widely on this point; some 

 prefer to call these intermediate forms by the 

 latter name, and some by the former. The 

 conditions under which fertility and increase 

 in cellular tissue will take place even to fructi- 

 fication (this latter being the button of the 

 mushroom), are simply those of the manure- 

 heap. For the successful cultivation of the 

 above-named mushroom, then, we must have : 

 1. Horse-manure from which the excessive 

 heat has departed. 2. Its tone must be re- 

 duced by combination with milder elements. 

 3. A magazine of latent heat must exist radi- 

 ating toward the matrix or birthplace of the 

 young mushroom. 4. There must also be a 

 warm, moist atmosphere for the respiration of 

 the budding plant. In a natural state, the first 

 condition is furnished by the age of the ma- 

 nure at the base of the heap, the second by the 



barn-yard soil there found, the third by the 

 daily additions at the summit, and the fourth 

 by the steam that in rains, dews, or from fer- 

 mentation is generated in the manure-heap. 

 The failures in mushroom-culture (and they 

 are many) are generally due to the absence of 

 the fourth requirement. This is furnished to 

 the pasture-mushroom by the fogs, mists, and 

 dews of dog-days. It is often unwittingly fur- 

 nished in the hot-house by the attendant when 

 he lightly waters the plants with his sprink- 

 ling-hose. The consequent slow evaporation 

 charges the atmosphere with just the elements 

 necessary to mushroom-life. The third con- 

 dition can be supplied by making the mush- 

 room-bed against a warm brick wall, or under 

 a greenhouse bench, near steam-heated pipes. 

 For the fulfillment of the first and second con- 

 ditions, it will be necessary to understand the 

 process of a proper preparation of the mate- 

 rials, and to make a wise selection of the place 

 in which to arrange for the work. 



Mushrooms may be raised in hot-houses, 

 cellars, or even in floored apartments. Light 

 is not necessary. Excessive heat is not desir- 

 able; 75 Fahr., steadily maintained, should 

 be the temperature. The bed should be be- 

 gun, if possible, on the earth, with no inter- 

 vening floor or pavement. A layer of old, 

 coarse manure, with bedding-straw or leaves, 

 to the depth of about three inches, should be 

 the foundation ; this may be well watered, and 

 not disturbed in subsequent work on the sur- 

 face-layer. Segregate one seventh of the space 

 devoted to the entire work, and upon this put 

 the compost, which should be in the propor- 

 tions of two thirds freshly dropped horse-ma- 

 nure free from straw, and the remaining third 

 in equal proportions of cow-manure (not fresh), 

 and rich, moist, garden loam. The elements 

 must be thoroughly mixed ; and, to insure this, 

 they may be all passed through a coarse sieve, 

 such as is used for sand or coal screenings.. 

 After mixing, place a plank on the bed, and 

 stamp it down solid ; enough material should 

 be used to leave it then about eighteen inches 

 in thickness. Its temperature will rise at once 

 to about 150 Fahr. It must not be permitted 

 to overheat or ferment, but must be turm 

 over every day, at least for the first week, af 

 which, the temperature will decline. To kno\ 

 when it is ready for the spawn, a hole sh< 

 be forced in the solid mass with a blunt stick : 

 the moment this is withdrawn, thrust a ther 

 mometer into the hole ; when this experiment 

 shows an even temperature in various pi* 

 of 85 Fahr., one may proceed to the ne3 

 stage in mushroom-culture. 



Spawn is simply earth or compost where 

 conditions of spore-fructification have been ful- 

 filled, and the multiplication of cells and celh 

 lar tissue has begun. In making the brie' 

 spawn of the seed-stores, the gardener dri< 

 such compost, and thus arrests its further dc 

 velopment, but preserves its vitality until 

 is needed. Virgin-spawn, or those portioi 



