The Gardener's New Director, 91 



the ftratums of earth and dung alternately, four of dung, 

 and as many of earth, narrowing the bed as it riles, fo as 

 to make it afcend gradually in the torni of a wedge, 

 whofe bafe is the bottom of the bed ; then take fome of 

 the fpawn, and plant the fmall knobs fix inches afun- 

 der, and half an inch deep into the earth on the ftdes. 

 AVhen your bed is planted, lay a covering of wheat- 

 flraw, or loofe litter, ^o the depth of half a ioot or more, 

 to rile to twelve inches as the cold increafes ; this is to 

 prevent the injuries of froft, as well as to prevent the 

 earth from drying too fart:, and from much rain getting 

 to the beds, as an excels of any of thefe are prejudicial; 

 this covering is alfo neceffary to confine the vr.pour raifed 

 by fermentation, wliich conduces to the growth of the 

 nnifli rooms. 



When your bed has been made up and planted ten 

 days, take off the litter with your hands, obfetving if 

 your IMufhrooms come up dilcoloured, appearing black 

 or brown, and long llianked, to cut them off, and rid- 

 dling a little of the fine earth over them ; which when 

 they appear again, they will come up white, round, and 

 fit for ufe : this is called purging them ; this firft bad 

 appearance is occafioned by too much heat in the dung, 

 which fhould be avoided as mi;ch as poffible. 



\\'^hile they are growing, it will be neceffary to 

 look them over once every day, I mean in September ^ 

 the chief fcaibn of their growth. If you allow them 

 to grow large, they will foon become unfit for ufe, rot, 

 breed worms, and infect all the young fpawn, or the 

 off-lets : to prevent this, they mufi: be gathered every 

 day ; by pulling tliem gently out of the bed, fo that 

 no part of their ftems be left behind, which would can- 

 ker and rot the fpawn. In this operation, if any of the 

 fpawn comes up, take it off gently, planting it again, 

 where it will foon take root ; obferve another bed is to be 

 made, towards the latter end oi September, and not later. 



There are lome perlons who m ke their mufhroom- 

 heds, entirely of fi:ch dung, as I have liere directed, with- 

 otit laying flratums of earth above the dung, but only 

 covering the fides of the dung with the earth, as above 

 directed, three or four inches thick. This method I 

 approve of, and have f«en plentiful crops upon fuch beds ; 



but 



