J0S4 



MISHHOOM 



MUSHROOM 



spawn w.'is doad. Other cnusi's may dotenninc a poor 

 crop, but soldoiii no (•r»i>. In spito of Ihi' fact that 

 reliable spawii is now made, sonu' small dcaliTs \\ ill, of 

 coursf. evintinue to otTor for sale old spawi\ wliiili luus 

 lost all vit;dity just as They may olTer old seeds, it is 

 nccossjiry to Ik> e\-en more ivin'ftil in I Ik- imi-chase of 





4^4 W. Musluoums growing in a cellar. 



spawn than of field or garden seeds. Experiments have 

 shown that spawn stored under the conditions wliich 

 usually prevail in the cellars or btusements of seed- 

 stores is seldom alive for more than one year after it 

 is made. 



TemperatuTe. 



The most favorable temperature for musliroom-iiro- 

 duction is about 04° F. Perhaps there is no apiireciable 

 difference between 52° and 5(i° F. More important as 

 principles are the limits of tcmi)erature, and the effects 

 of more or less heat than that mentioned. No one 

 should attempt to rtow mushrooms in any house or 

 cellar where the temperature is constantly above t)()° F. 

 In the warmer atmosphere, all kinds of insfu^ts and other 

 mushroom enemies will be active; in fact, insects that 

 are practically torpid at .'jO" may be extremely harmful 

 and multiply rajMdly at (i()° F. .\i)parently at 60° F. 

 the spawn in the beds will be afT(^cted more or less by 

 the growth of other organisms, the reciuisitc humidity 

 is not so rea<lily maintained, and "fogging off" is 

 frequent. Moreover, even if the higher temperature 

 lasts only a few days at a time, the quality of the prod- 

 uct will be affected. In hot weatluT the nuishrooms 

 are smaller, long-stemmed, and ((uickly expan<led. At a 

 temperature continuously 4.')° F., mushrf)onis will 

 develop so slowly aa to be uniirofitable. A few d.iys of 

 low temperature is not in any sense injurious, for it 

 merely cau.ses <lelay in production. If one wishes to 

 obtain particularly heavj' mushrf)oms, this can be best 

 accomplished by keejiing the temperat\ire fairly low, 

 and occasionally permitting it to fall below .'j()° F. for 

 a few successive days. Even light freezing does not 

 kill the mycelium in the beds. 



MoisluTc. 



It has been noted that after the first watering 

 when the stable-manure is being prepartid for com- 

 post, the rule is "moist but not soaking wet." No 

 better rule can be given. It is scientifically more 

 accurate to say that the compost in the beds should 

 contain about 60 to 6.5 per cent of its oven-dry weight 

 of water, but the best [iractical test of 60 to 6.5 i)er 

 cent is that when compres.sed firmly in Ihe hand it 

 will moisten thrt haml but drojjs of water will not lie 

 .squeez<!d out with ordinary exertion. When tlu^ beds 

 are cased, the su^fac(^ .soil must also ]n: kept moist. 

 Even if the comfxist lx;low is moist, no satisfactory 

 muahroom.s will l>e produc<;d in a dry soil. On the 

 other hanrl, U> keep the .sf>il wet it is not necessary 

 to drench the bed. The latUsr serves to make the 

 compost too wet, and the soil may .soon be dry 

 again. In the ideal mushroom hou.se, watering 



should be required to the extent of no more than one 

 light si)riidvling each day; but in small cellars or houses 

 when' Ihe lieuling is by means of stoves, or oilier similar 

 dry heat method, moii' freciuent sprinkling will be 

 iXHluired. The humidity of the atmosphere should be 

 from 61) to 7.5 jier cent. There should be a gradual but 

 slow evaporation. Walls and ceiling may be conve- 

 niently sjiiayed, when necessary, with a Vermorel 

 spray nozzle. 



Saiiiiation. 



Sanitation involves (1) good drainage and ven- 

 tilation, {'!) removal of all waste mushrooms, also the 

 clotted and sjjcnt mycelium at the bases of mush- 

 room clusters, and especially foggetl specimens, and 

 (3) the trapping of insects, whenever they become 

 evident, a.s well as the regulation of conditions, if 

 possible, so :us to prevent their activity. Drainage 

 is a minor matter if the ajiplication of too much 

 water is :ussid\iously avoided. Ventilation is partic- 

 ularly neces.sary in caves and low cellars. Waste 

 mushroom material, whether on the bed or about the 

 cellar, is a constant menace. When mushrooms are 

 picked in clusters, the little buttons in the vicinity 

 which are injured should be removed. All old bases of 

 clusters should be liftc^d and a handful of fresh earth 

 appli<'d. 



Where mushrooms may be ijrown (Figs. 2410, 2411). 



Since the control of conditions is the essential point 

 in the culture of these fungi, it is obvious that mush- 

 rooms may be grown in any house, cellar, or cave 

 which will permit the regulation of moisture and 

 temperature, and incidentally of ventilation. It is not 

 the purpose of this article to attempt the discussion of 

 the various types of construction which may be 

 employed in the erection of suitable houses for mush- 

 room work. Any kind of building material may be 

 used, but since a considerable amount of water is 

 necessarily employed, it is well to provide against 

 "sweating," and the drij) which accompanies tliis. As 

 a rule, an air-space in walls is an effective preventive 

 of this condition. The ceiling of the mushroom house 

 may be high or low, depending upon the number of tiers 

 of beds to be used. When it is desired to place the beds 

 on the floor only, the ceiling should be as low as wiU 

 ])ermit men to work comfortably; for the additional 

 air-space above the bed will be disailvantageous with 

 regard to the control of both heat and moisture. Per- 

 sons who are making a first trial with mushroom-grow- 

 ing, or those who intend to use a small amount of 

 space for the production of a small quantity intended 

 merely for home consumjition, will jireferably choose for 

 the purpose any cellar, shed, or other space which may 

 be available. Such s]jace may be adapted more or less 



.^411. Mushroom-growing in a Portland cement cave. 



