CULTURE IN SHEDS, ARCHES, ETC. 51 



stable manure is usually so plentiful that it is much easier 

 to obtain and much cheaper than in the country, so that 

 even those in London having suitable places for growing 

 mushrooms, but not keeping horses regularly or at all, 

 could have no difficulty in procuring abundance of 

 materials. 



The French often cultivate mushrooms in cellars as well 

 as in the caves described in the next chapter. Preference 

 should be given to a diy warm cellar; it should be as 

 dark as possible, and exposed to no draughts. Beds can 

 be made in cellars in many ways. Those made in the 

 middle should always be formed with two sides, while those 

 against the walls should only be half as thick, on account 



Fig. 15. Mushroom-bed on rude shelf against wall of cellar. 



of their having only one useful side. It is also possible 

 to arrange them on "shelves, one above the other. For 

 this purpose strong bars of iron are driven into the 

 walls, upon which are placed shelves of the proper size 

 covered with earth, upon which is formed a bed, that is 

 treated exactly as those made upon the ground. These 

 beds are just as productive as any of the other kinds. 



E2 



