VEGETABLES 67 



in the ' Caterer ' that a Mr. Joseph Nepp, of Leipsic 

 and Plagwitz, Germany, who is a civil engineer, has 

 patented a system for mushroom cultivation. His 

 beds are artificially prepared in such a way that 

 indirect pulsation and aspiration are provided and 

 the growth stimulated by the chemical bed and the 

 regulation of the temperature. These beds can be 

 placed in cellars, sheds, special houses, or any con- 

 venient locality. They are placed at various angles, 

 so that a ground space of ten yards square would 

 give a bed space of fifteen square yards, and ground 

 space of twenty square yards a bedof thirty to thirty- 

 five square yards, and so on. These beds require 

 practically no attention, and they will go on bearing 

 a plentiful daily crop from six to ten months, and 

 instances of beds bearing for twelve to fourteen 

 months are not uncommon. The first outlay of a 

 permanent bed of twelve yards square with a plenti- 

 ful supply of plant stimulants costs 2/., whilst beds 

 containing 250 square yards cost from 10/. to 15/. 



As mushroom beds decline they must be reno- 

 vated by taking off the earth, and if the dung is 

 decayed they must be remade, and any good spawn 

 which shows itself preserved ; but if the beds are 

 dry, solid, and full of good spawn, a fresh layer of 

 compost three or four inches thick must be added, 

 mixed a little with the old, and beaten solid again. 



It is much better to purchase the spawn than 

 to collect it. Sutton supplies most excellent and 

 reliable spawn, and I should recommend everyone 

 to purchase spawn, as that which is collected from 

 stable dunghills is not to be relied on. Sutton has 

 spawn especially manufactured for them, and it is 

 so cheap that it seems waste of time to try and 

 collect it. There are three erades of mushrooms — ■ 



