13 



CHAPTER II. 



THE PREPARATION OF THE MATERIALS, ETC. 



I 



BEFORE we deal with the various ways of growing the 

 mushroom, we will speak of the preparation of the 

 material. As stable manure not only furnishes the 

 nutriment, but forms the very soil in which mushrooms 

 are produced artificially, and also supplies the heat 

 which enables us to grow them to perfection at all 

 seasons, by far the. most important point connected with 

 their culture is the management of this. It is very 

 simple, but frequently, even by excellent gardeners, con- 

 sidered to require much more trouble and nicety than is 

 really necessary. For example, it is quite common in 

 good gardens to see the droppings collected carefully in 

 some shed, or in* the mushroom-house, and turned over 

 almost as tenderly and carefully as the contents of the 

 fruit-room. Good mushrooms are well worth this 

 trouble ; but, as it is quite unnecessary, it should not be 

 done except in special cases. 



To show the diversity of opinion among excellent 

 mushroom-growers as to the preparation of the manure, 



