CULTIVATION OF MUSHROOMS. 51 



Mr. Hovey said the mushroom was " miffy." Fungi would grow 

 under certain conditions, but within very narrow limits as to heat 

 and cold, moisture and dryness. They will do pretty much as 

 they have a mind to. If you can get the right kind of manure 

 there is no need of spawn. He knew a gentleman who had fine 

 crops produced spontaneousl}'^ ; the experiment was tried in the 

 barn cellar, but one night the window was accidentally left open, 

 and the temperature fell to 35° and killed all the spawn. Mr. 

 Hovey said that he had raised mushrooms for six or seven years, 

 and never failed to have a larger or smaller crop. His first attempt 

 was most successful, as he had that 3'ear a large quantity of ma- 

 nure in good condition, from a large stable, which was much better 

 than when only a small quantity could be collected at a time. 

 Mushrooms cannot be raised very successfully in summer on ac- 

 count of the maggot ; no insect troubles them in winter, but they 

 are often eaten by the slug. He did not consider it on the whole 

 a profitable crop. 



BUSINESS MEETING. 



Saturday, February 5, 1876. 



An adjourned meeting of the Society was holden at 11 o'clock, 

 Vice-President C. 0. Whitmore in the chair. 



The Recording Secretary reported that the notice of election of 

 Recording Secretary, ordered for to-day, had been omitted by one 

 of the papers, and that therefore no election could be legally 

 holden to-day. 



On motion of E, S. Rand, Jr., it was 



Voted, That the Recording Secretary be ordered to give notice 

 of an election of Recording Secretary for Saturdaj^ March 4th. 



The Committee appointed Dec. 19th, 1874, to obtain a portrait 

 of the President elect, Francis Parkman, reported as follows : 



" That exercising the discretion given them by the vote, they 

 decided to obtain a bust rather than an oil painting, and accord- 

 ingly gave the commission to Martin Milmore. The result. of his 



