MULCHING. 



323 



MUSHROOMS. 



Mulching. 



This operation consists in spreading a 

 layer of stable dung litter, decaying leaves, 

 and other materials over the roots of trees 

 or plants, especially those which have been 

 recently transplanted, and in times of 



MUSHROOMS. 



drought watering through it. After a time 

 the material used, whatever it may be, may 

 be forked into the soil. The term " mulch- 

 ing " may be understood to apply to cover- 

 ing the external surface of the ground with 

 any material, whether for the purpose of 

 enrichment of the soil and the consequent 

 stimulation of the roots below, or as a 

 means of intervening between the ground 

 and the drying action .of the sun or wind, 

 and thus keeping the soil moist and pro- 

 tecting the roots. Every newly planted 

 tree should have a mulching of some soxt 

 spread around it. 



Mushrooms. 



Mushrooms may easily be had at any 

 season of the year by adopting an artificial i 

 process, and spawning, with artificial spawn, | 

 which may be obtained in cakes from any ' 

 nurseryman, a bed made after the following 

 manner : The best situation for the arti- ! 

 ficial growth of mushrooms is a cellar or placed 



| fungi. The antechamber or passage to 

 : an ice-house is an excellent place for a 

 mushroom bed, and is frequently made use 

 of for this purpose : any shed, however, 

 ! whether underground or not, may be made 

 available ; and, indeed, with a little more 

 : care, mushrooms may be grown in the open 

 j air, without any roof to cover them at all ; 

 but a cellar or underground hole has a 

 decided preference. The foundation of 

 the bed must be well-rotted manure from 

 the horse-yard, which has been sweetened 

 by being turned over two or three times : 

 i it may have a little good loam mixed with 

 I it, in the proportion of about from two to 

 ! four barrows of loam to twelve of manure. 

 ! The bed, which should never be carried 

 | above 2 feet in height, is best made on 

 1 a gentle slope, and the manure should be 

 well and firmly beaten down with a spade. 

 ; When the heat has fallen to about 75, the 

 spawn may be put in. This artificial spawn, 

 which is usually made up in cakes, must 

 be broken up into pieces about 2 inches 

 square, and placed all over the bed, upon 

 the surface of the manure, about 10 or 12 

 ! inches apart. A covering of i inch, or i 

 inches, of good garden loam is then to be 



MUSHROOMS ON SHELVES IN SHED OK CELLAR. 



all over the bed, and the surface 



underground tool-house, or any other place again beaten firm with a spade. The whole 

 where the atmosphere is of that close, ; must then be covered well over with straw 

 damp, foggy character which is always so | or other material, to exclude all light. The 

 peculiarly favourable to the growth of \ growth of the mushrooms will, of course, 



