No. 1.] GROWING OF MUSHROOxMS. 



381 



posted and watered frequently, taking care that it does not 

 burn. After it has been well worked over and conn)ostcd 

 various times, and the heat is not likely to rise above 130*^ F., 

 it should be thoroughly incorporated with one-fourth to one- 

 fifth decomposed loam or sod. It can remain in this condi- 

 tion until read}^ for use. The beds are usually made up ten 

 to fourteen inches deep, and in these are placed the soil and 

 manure for growing them. The bottom of the bed should 

 be supplied with six inches of fresh manure, well tamped 

 down. It should be covered with the prepared manure and 

 loam mentioned above, adding about two inches at a time, 

 and compacting the same. If it shows a tendency to heat 

 too much, incorporate a little loam with it. One or two 



Fig. 4. — Cross-section of a woodeu mushroom house, about sixteen feet wide, pro- 

 vided with beds. The bouse is banked up with eartli, and the earth is covered with 

 salt marsh hay, heated from boiler. 



layers two inches deep of the prepared loam and manure 

 can be put on each day until the recjuired depth is obtained. 

 Straw or some mulching material is then put over the top 

 of the bed until ready to spawn. This answers the purpose 

 of catching the condensed steam and keeping the surface 

 from getting too wet. After the temperature of the beds 

 has reached about 1)0° to 95° F., the straw should be re- 

 moved and the bed spawned, although some growers prefer 

 a temperature of about 80° F. This is accomplished by 

 breaking the bricks into pieces, and planting the pieces in 

 rows in the bed. The rows should be about one foot ai)art, 

 and the pieces of spawn inserted every six or eight inches, 



