18 MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



the best way of preparing manure for the general culture 

 of mushrooms indoors, is to gather it in some firm spot, 

 and allow it to lose its fierce heat. As it is usually 

 gathered in an irregular way, precise directions as to 

 turning over cannot well be given ; but I am convinced that 

 one turning will suffice when it has arrived at a strong 

 heat, and then it should be thrown together for a week 

 or so, when, in being disturbed and removed to make the 

 bed or beds, its strong heat will be sufficiently subdued. 

 Where large quantities of stable manure are in a fer- 

 menting state, there should be little difficulty in selecting 

 material to form a bed at any time. Should it have spent 

 its heat overmuch, it would be easy to revive it with some 

 fresh droppings. 4. That stable manure may be used when 

 fresh, but it should be always mixed with more than 

 a fourth of good loamy soil. If this be kept under cover, 

 or stacked so that it may be had in a rather dry condi- 

 tion, so much the better, especially if the fresh manure, 

 &c., should be over moist. Beds thus made are most 

 suited for cool sheds and the open gardens. 5. That a 

 portion, say nearly one -fifth to one-third, of good and 

 rather dry loam may always be advantageously mixed with 

 the stable manure ; the fresher the materials, the more 

 loam should be used. In all cases it helps to solidify 

 the bed, and it is probable that the addition of the loam 

 adds to the fertility and duration of the bed. 6. That 

 a thickness of from one foot to fifteen inches for the beds 



