38 



below the surface, about 10 inches to 1 foot apart, and the bed is then 

 compressed into final shape. Under most favorable circumstances it 

 is unnecessary and undesirable to water the beds for several weeks 

 after spawning, or until they are learned or cased. If they dry out 

 rapidly and some water is necessary, it should be given as a surface 

 spraying, for water in quantity applied to the young spawn will al- 

 most invariably cause the latter to damp off. 



Casing the Beds. 

 An examination of the bed about two weeks after spawning is de- 

 sirable, and if it is found that the spawn is "running" the beds may 

 be cased with loam. Casing consists in applying a layer of loam from 

 1 to Ij inches deep to the surface of the bed. This loam should have 

 been secured some time in advance and carefully worked over or 

 screened to get rid of the largest pebbles, lumps and trash. When 

 applied it should be barely moist. Subsequently, if watered at all, 

 it should be merely sprinkled, in order to prevent any drying out of 

 the bed. Neither a heavy clay nor a sandy loam should be used for 

 casing purposes, but almost any other soil is good. 



Watering. 

 As previously indicated, the spreading spawn should receive no 

 water, or, at least, as little as possible. When, however, the mush- 

 rooms begin to appear, more water will be required, and a light 

 sprinkling may be given once or twice each week or as often as the 

 conditions demand. Beds which come into bearing in proper con- 

 dition should never be drenched. It has been found by experience 

 that under the most favorable conditions a bed will require occasional 

 sprinkling, since, owing to continual evaporation, there will be a grad- 

 ual loss of water, at least after the mushrooms have been gathered, 

 and the loam disturbed by the removal of mushrooms should always 

 receive a light sprinkling. 



Picking and Preparing for Market. 

 When a bed is in full bearing, the mushrooms should be gathered, 

 at least once in two days, and it is well to pick them every day, par- 

 ticularly if the temperature is up to 60° F. or more. Picking is itself 

 an art, and the intelligent grower will soon find that the yield of a 

 bed may be greatly lessened by lack of judgment in picking. To 

 satisfy the general demands of our markets at the present time it is 

 not recommended to take the buttons; yet if there is a fancy trade 

 for these it should be met. Little or no gain in weight occurs in the 

 mushroom, however, after the veil begins to break, so that mush- 

 rooms should not be left after this time. Flat tops are a third-grade 

 article, but these, as well as all defective mushrooms, should be 

 sedulously removed from the bed every day. 



