CHAPTER XVI 



THE ELUSIVE MUSHROOM 



THE mushroom belongs undeniably to the lux- 

 urious table, and is mentioned here for the sake 

 of making that table complete; though it must 

 be frankly said that of all the possible products of 

 the garden home, the mushroom is the most elusive, and 

 the least essential. It can be raised, but probably will 

 not be to any great extent; though every garden city 

 is likely to contain a few enthusiasts who will gayly 

 squander time and money in its culture. Some of them 

 will succeed, and now and then there will be a man 

 who will realize a fabulous income from his mushroom 

 bed considering the very small space it occupies. 



It has been my good fortune to know some of the 

 most successful growers in the United States, nearly 

 all of them of Frencli origin — one of them the third 

 generation of famous Parisian growers of this delicacy. 

 All of these men pretend to think it the simplest thing 

 in the world to bring forth prolific crops in their caves 

 and cellars. Often they have instructed others in the 

 art, but I have never been able to learn that they cre- 

 ated many competitors in consequence. 



I heard of one man who diligently read all the books, 

 took all the instruction he could obtain, equipped the 

 finest sort of a plant, proceeded according to all known 



1G2 



