64 MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



in this subterranean chamber a mere speck in the space 

 devoted to mushroom culture by one individual. 



When 1 state that there are six or seven miles run of 

 mushroom-beds in the ramifications of this cave, and that 

 the owner is but one of a large class who devote them- 

 selves to mushroom culture, the reader will have some 

 opportunity of judging of the extent to which it is 

 carried on about Paris. These caves not only supply 

 the wanes of the city above them, but those of England 

 and other countries also, large quantities of preserved 

 mushrooms being exported, one house alone sending to 

 our own country no less than 14,000 boxes annually. 

 There were some traces of the teeth of rats on the pro- 

 duce, and it need not be said that these enemies are not 

 agreeable. in such a place ; but they did not seem to have 

 committed any serious ravages, and are probably only 

 casual visitors, who take the first opportunity of obtain- 



- "* * - 



ing more varied food than is afforded them by these caves. 

 To traverse the passages any further is . needless there 

 is nothing to be seen but a repetition of the culture 

 above described, every available inch of the cave being 

 occupied. We again find our way to the bottom of" the 

 shaft, carefully mount the rather shaky pole one at a time, 

 and again stand in the hot sun in the midst of the ripe 

 wheat. 



In traversing the fields two things relating to mush- 

 room culture are to be observed heaps of white gritty 



