28 



MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



soft and free in texture, is usually sold in large and some- 

 what irregular lumps, and is much used by some cultivators. 

 Finally, we have the French mushroom-spawn, which 

 differs from our own in not being in bricks or solid lumps, 

 but in rather light masses of scarcely half decomposed, 

 comparatively loose and dry litter. This spawn is ob- 

 tained by preparing a little bed as if for mushrooms in 

 the ordinary way, and spawning it with morsels of virgin 

 spawn, if that is obtainable ; and then when the spawn 



Fig. 13. Parisian mushroom-spawn. 



has spread through it, the bed is broken up and 

 used for spawning beds in the caves, or dried and pre- 

 served for sale. It is sold in small boxes, and is fit for 

 insertion when pulled in rather thin pieces, about half 

 the size of the open hand ; but in separating it, it divides 

 into many pieces, of all sizes, every particle of which 

 should be used. The small particles should be strewn 

 broadcast over the bed after the larger pieces have been 



