CULTIVATION OF MUSHROOMS. 



241 



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rooms can appear only at the upper surface, though occasionally 

 single ones crop out in the crevice between the side board and the 

 rock below. 



Probably at Paris, and perhaps also 

 at some other places where the system 

 of ridge beds is used, the question of the 

 cost of the lumber is an important one, 

 and the system of ridge beds avoids the 

 expense of this item of lumber. In other 

 cases, where the flat beds are used with 

 the board supports, the cost of lumber is 

 considered a small item when compared 

 with the additional labor involved in 

 making the ridge bed. The flat beds are 

 very quickly made, and the material in 

 some cases is not more than 7 inches 

 deep, allowing a large surface area com- 

 pared with the amount of food material, 

 for the growth of the mushrooms. It 

 may be possible, with the flat, shallow 

 bed system, that as many or more mush- 

 rooms are obtained from the same amount 

 of manure, as in the case of the ridge 

 beds. When we consider the cost of the 

 manure in some places, this item is^one 

 which is well worth considering. . 



THE HOUSE CULTURE OF 

 MUSHROOMS. 



Where this method of cultivation is 

 employed, as the main issue, houses are 

 constructed especially for the purpose. 

 In general the houses are of two kinds. 

 Those which are largely above the 

 ground, and those where a greater or 

 lesser pit is excavated so that the larger 

 part of the house is below ground. Be- 

 tween these extremes all gradations ex- 

 ist. Probably it is easier to maintain an 

 equable temperature when the house is 

 largely below ground. Where it is largely 

 above ground, however, the equability 



