LECT. VIII 



PROFITABLE CULTURE 



119 



mushrooms are called " native bread," and one kind 

 (of fungus) is known as the "poor man's steak." 



Mushroom-like fungi, with yellowish or shining 

 caps, and pallid or black gills, are not safe. If, in 

 case of doubt, a silver spoon or coin be placed in the 

 cooking apparatus, and not discoloured, the prepara- 

 tion is said to be safe, if discoloured there is ground 

 for suspicion. When mushrooms, however, are grown 

 artificially, as they are in stables, beds and cellars, 

 also on ridges in the open air, every doubt is removed 

 because only the genuine kind is increased by spawn. 



FIG. 31. MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



1. Spawn. 2. Spore germination. 3 Mushrooms in boxes. 



in beds. 



4. Mushrooms 



It may be said here, that full crops of line mush- 

 rooms are more profitable than anything else that can 

 be grown without the aid of glass. An idea of the 

 process is afforded in the illustrations, which are not 

 fanciful sketches, but actual lessons from life. 



