378 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



is, they obtain their food from docoinpo.secl organic matter 

 contained in the soil. The}^ do not propagate by seeds, as 

 the higher plants do, but have instead numerous microscopic 

 spores, which possess a similar function to seeds, but are 

 much more simple in their make-up. On this account 

 mushroom spores do not possess the same chance for repro- 

 duction of the individual as seeds, hence the necessity for 

 spores to be reproduced in enormous quantities, in order 

 that a few may be fortunate enough to alight in some favor- 

 able situation suitable for germina- 

 tion and the reproduction of the 

 individual. The spores are borne 

 on the so-called gills, located under 

 the head, or umbrella-like shaped 

 cap, which is termed technically the 

 pileus. The mushroom that is gath- 

 ered for market constitutes the fruit- 

 ing portion of the plant. The other 

 portion of the plant is comparatively 

 insignificant, and is represented by 

 the white thread-like growth, or 

 mycelium, which permeates the soil. 

 The so-called mushroom spawn is 

 composed of these threads or root- 

 like filaments, composted with ma- 

 nure and pressed into bricks. Much 

 of the spawn or bricks sold in the 

 markets comes from England or 



:r ; f, ™',"„r '''"''• '"• F'-on^e. ^»d frequently fails to spawn 



when planted under favorable con- 

 ditions. The English spawn is sold in the form of bricks 

 which w^eigh about one and one-fourth pounds, while the 

 French spawn is composed of flakes or loose material. 

 Spawn is sold by all of the leading seedsmen. In sowing 

 the spawn the bricks are broken up into numerous small 

 pieces and planted. The larger the amount of live spawn 

 contained in the bricks, the better is the product. Occa- 

 sionally attempts have been made to utilize home-made 

 spawn, but practically all of this material used is imported. 



Fig. 1. — Longitudinal section 

 of a mushroom; poisonous spe- 

 cies of amanita. P, pileus; G, 

 gills or lamellre, on which the 

 spores are borne; S, stipe or 



