20 MUSHROOM CULTURE, 



These may be recently gathered from the trees, and 

 should be allowed to attain a brisk heat before the loam 

 is added, and then,, after sweating for a week or ten days, 

 may be turned, mixing the materials intimately together, 

 and then the mass may be formed into a bed. A mushroom- 

 bed of this kind should not be less than fifteen inches in 

 thickness when thoroughly consolidated ; and when so 

 managed it will grow mushrooms just as well as dung. 

 The sweepings of our streets and cattle markets, especially 

 those parts that are paved and much frequented by horses 

 as, for example, cabstands, &c. if collected when dry, 

 and fermented a little, yield capital material for beds. 

 Here from the cattle market we have the dung of horses, 

 sheep, and cows mixed together in a finely divided state^ 

 the heating of which is gentle and regular. Material of 

 this kind procured on dry days, thrown together to 

 ferment once or twice, and then made into well- consoli- 

 dated beds, will produce mushrooms of the finest quality, 

 and continue in bearing a very long time. It is of the first 

 importance that this material be collected in a dry state, 

 as of course the slush of the streets would not do at all. 

 Equal proportions of street sweepings and fresh leaves, 

 properly fermented and mixed with loam, would perhaps 

 make as good material for growing mushrooms as need be 

 obtained. Of course the sweepings from those parts of 

 the town most frequented by horses will be the best for 

 the purpose I am writing about. 



