50 MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



one would not suppose that mushroom culture was 

 carried on there. No evil results as regards the 

 creation of an unhealthy atmosphere accompanied the 

 attempt. The beds were formed much in the usual way 

 from the droppings of highly fed horses. Now there can 

 be no doubt that a similar mode of growing mushrooms 

 could be carried out in the stables or some adjacent build- 

 ing in hundreds of places apart from the garden and the 

 gardener altogether. Given the materials and some 

 position,, however contracted, in which to carry out the 

 culture, and both these things are surely to be had almost 

 in every place where there is a stable, the rest is so 

 simple that any stableman or boy could carry it out. We 

 know that these individuals, as a class, are not much given 

 to botanical or horticultural studies, but no doubt the pro- 

 spect of an occasional half-dozen fresh mushrooms on the 

 gridiron would give them most praiseworthy interest in the 

 culture. The only objection to it is, or might be, that 

 once they were at home in the culture, the gardener 

 would be very likely to fall short of materials for his hot- 

 beds. An empty loft, or any other covered structure 

 could be employed as well as the stable or an empty coach- 

 house. Apart altogether from utilizing the walls of the 

 stable, as the Baron did, empty stalls frequently present 

 an opportunity of growing mushrooms in quantity. These 

 remarks apply to stables in cities and towns, as well as 

 in the country ; indeed in cities, particularly in London, 



