1386 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



kept in a phu-o tliat will be both cool 

 and dry. but never hot and dry. This 

 should be remembered by both seedsmen 

 and prowers, for many failures may un- 

 doubtedly be attributed to the improper 

 storage to which the material has been 

 subjected. 



MrSHKOOM ENEMIES 

 Under suitable conditions and with 

 the exercise of constant vigilance as to 

 general cleanliness the mushroom bed 

 will seldom fail as a result of diseases 

 or insect depredations. Nevertheless, 

 every precaution should be taken to 

 avoid these difficulties. Some of the 

 most common troubles reported in this 

 country are as follows: 



Foiruina: Off 



During the pin-head or button stage, 

 and sometimes even later, the mush- 

 rooms, which may be appearing in quan- 

 tity, turn brown, cease to grow, and 

 soon decay. This is supposed to be a 

 physiological trouble; that is, one caused 

 by lack of essential conditions. Molds 

 and bacteria may play a secondary part 

 at least in producing this disease. It is 

 most frequent in warm weather. 

 Black Spot 



This disease manifests itself by the 

 aiipearance of small discolored areas on 

 the surface of the cap. It is said to be 

 due to improper watering and to lack 

 of proper ventilation. 



Fuiiffous Diseases 

 There are several fungous diseases of 

 the mushroom, none of which, however, 

 has been of serious importance in this 

 country. 



Mites 



There are one or two species of mites 

 constantly to be found in compost heaps, 

 which may be injurious in the mush- 

 room bed. They are seldom trouble- 

 some at a temperature of less than 59 

 degrees P., as they are then more or 

 less sluggish; and, although they may 

 be found upon the mushroom, they do 

 little or no harm. At higher tempera- 

 tures they are supposed to destroy the 

 spawn to a certain extent and, owing 

 to their great numbers, they are at least 

 objectionable upon the mushrooms. 



Wood Lice, or "Sow Bugs" 



These crustaceans, like the mites, are 

 not of great importance where the con- 

 ditions of temperature are favorable. 

 The best methods of extermination are 

 by trapping and poisoning them. This 

 may be done by putting pieces of po- 

 tato smeared with arsenic or Paris green, 

 together with some dry rubbish, into 

 tin cans or boxes placed on the side. 

 Most of the sow bugs that enter these 

 receptacles will be killed by eating the 

 poison. 



Snails 



Snails and slugs are frequently pests 

 in mushroom growing, but they may 

 also be readily trapped by the use of 

 lettuce or cabbage leaves. 



Sprfnetails 



Springtails may become a source of 

 great annoyance when mushrooms are 

 grown in damp caves. As a rule, they 

 can only establish themselves when care- 

 lessness has been shown in cleaning out 

 old bedding material. When once es- 

 tablished they multiply very rapidly, and 

 the mushrooms are attacked by them In 

 such numbers that within a day or two 

 every appearance of fogging off is made 

 manifest. These insects may be readily 

 destroyed by fumigation with carbon 

 bisulphid, but prevention is the wiser 

 course. 



Larvae of Flies 



With good manure and under suitable 

 conditions larvae of mushroom flies are 

 not usually injurious. Nevertheless, the 

 larvae of the little fly, Phora minuia, 

 may be troublesome in warm weather. 

 Fumigation, as previously suggested, 

 may be of service in order that the life 

 of a bed may be extended somewhat later 

 into the warm season. 



Muskmelons 



The melon is a native of Southern 

 Asia from the foot of the Himalayas to 

 Cape Comorin, where it grows sponta- 

 neously, but is cultivated in the warm 

 and temperate regions of the whole civ- 

 ilized world. It is variable both in habit 

 and the diversity of its foliage, but the 

 greatest variation is perhajis in the fruit. 

 which ranges in size from that of a 



