MUSHROOM 79 



strict observance of it will prevent a mistake in cold weather, for then 

 if the bed is carelessly uncovered and much chilled, the crop will 

 come to a stop, when perhaps it would, if properly handled, be at high 

 tide and full of profit. Another rule should be enforced, to this effect, 

 that every Mushroom must be taken out complete, and if the root 

 does not come with the stem, it must be dug out with a knife. Any 

 trifling with this rule will have to be paid for. The root of a Mush- 

 room, if left in the ground, will produce nothing at all. But it may 

 attract flies, and it certainly will interfere with the movements of the 

 mycelium at that particular spot, and actually prevent the production 

 of any more Mushrooms. The old practitioners were accustomed to 

 leave the root in the ground, and they were content with about one- 

 third of the crop that is now produced on beds that are perhaps not 

 better made than theirs were. But they had a notion about the 

 powers of the root which increased knowledge of the subject has 

 shown to be fallacious. 



The facility with which Mushrooms may be raised under simple 

 methods is illustrated by the practice of growing them inside the turf 

 walls of cool pits. In the country turf walls are common, and they 

 offer the advantage of growing Mushrooms in addition to the 

 purpose they usually serve. After determining the size of the pit, 

 and accurately marking it on the ground, cut the turf into narrow 

 strips, say three or four inches wide, and of exactly eighteen inches 

 length. The strips should be closely laid, grass side downwards, 

 across the width of the walls not longitudinally except at the 

 corners, where the layers should cross each other. The front and 

 back walls to be rather above the required height, because the turf 

 always settles down a little, and the two ends must gradually rise from 

 front to back. The top layer may be right side up, when it will keep 

 green for a long time. As the work proceeds insert lumps of spawn 

 at intervals in every layer, about three or four inches from the inside 

 edge. A wooden frame will be requisite on the top to carry the glass 

 lights. This structure makes a useful cool pit and a Mushroom bed, 

 from which supplies may sometimes be gathered for years. In the 

 summer it will be necessary to keep the walls moist by means of the 

 syringe, or they will cease bearing. 



But Mushrooms may be grown almost anywhere, even in a cellar 

 or on the wall of a warm stable, provided only that the mode of pro- 

 cedure is in a reasonable degree adapted to the requirements of the 

 fungus. Ordinary pits and frames are also serviceable, and many 

 gardeners obtain good crops in autumn by the simple process of 



