MUSHROOMS 181 



The manure used for these mushroom beds is the 

 best that can be got from the Parisian stables. It is 

 brought to the mouth of the caves overhead, and 

 thrown down to the bottom. Here it is mixed and 

 turned, and brought into the proper state for making 

 up the beds. These run along the floors and at the 

 base of the walls of the tunnels, and vary in length 

 according to the space available. Sometimes several 

 beds run side by side, as shown in fig. 53, with only 

 a narrow alley between them wide enough to allow 



FIG. 53. VIEW IN OLD UNDERGROUND STONE QUARRIES NOW DEVOTED 

 TO GROWING MUSHROOMS. 



a man to walk by putting one foot in front of the 

 other. Each bed is generally about 18 in. wide at the 

 base, and about 18 in. high, tapering upwards so that 

 the top is only about 4 in. wide. 



In such restricted places, it is obvious that carrying 

 or wheeling the manure from one place to another is 

 by no means easy work, and there is always plenty to 

 do. As soon as beds cease to produce a crop the 

 old manure is taken away and hauled up to the surface ; 

 and fresh manure is brought in for new beds. 



