THE MUSHROOM. 373 



litter instead of the hot water, or in which rhubarb stalks 

 may be forced. The windows are furnished with shutters 

 to regulate the admission of light, much of which is not 

 wanted ; and they are movable, to permit the ingress of 

 air. 



Mushrooms are propagated from what gardeners call 

 spawn, and botanists micelium, being a collection of mat- 

 ter resembling white mouldiness, crossed with vegetable 

 threads. It may be obtained from old pastures, the floors 

 of disused stables, decayed mushroom beds, or purchased 

 from nurserymen in the form of bricks charged with spawn. 

 When once obtained, it may, like leaven, be indefinitely 

 multiplied and preserved. If not to be otherwise procured, 

 it may be produced, or apparently generated, by placing 

 quantities of horse-dung and rich loam in alternate layers, 

 and covering the whole with straw, to exclude the rain and 

 air. Mushroom spawn commonly appears in the heap in 

 about two months after the dung and earth have been laid 

 together. The almost impalpable seeds seem to adhere to 

 the grass, hay, or oats, on which the horse feeds, and to 

 resist the action of the animal's stomach. The droppings 

 of stall-fed horses, or of such as have been kept on dry 

 food, are found preferable for this purpose. 



The old method of growing mushrooms has been refer- 

 red to above ; and, as it has some conveniences, particular- 

 ly for those who have not extensive means, it may be pro- 

 per to give some account of it. Horse-droppings should 

 be laid out from the stable into a very dry place, as free 

 from straw and litter as possible. There they should be 

 firmly trampled down with a man's feet, to prevent fermen- 

 tation. The droppings from the horse-track of a thrashing 

 machine form an excellent material in the spring time ; 

 for there the droppings are kept dry, and are thoroughly 



