92 MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



man, or found in what the French call " a virgin condi- 

 tion" in the dunghill. In any cae it will not be found 

 difficult to spawn one or more beds in this way, particu- 

 larly as there is nothing to prevent people drying as 

 much home-made spawn at one time as will suffice for a 

 year or more. The spawn should be allowed to run 

 through this bed, which should be covered with a slight 

 sprinkling of earth, and beaten pretty firm. When it 

 has penetrated through the bed, it should, just before it 

 arrives at a bearing condition, be ready to be used as 

 spawn. The number of beds to be spawned in this way 

 may be limited according to the extent of ground on 

 which it is proposed to grow the mushrooms. This 

 spawn may be inserted in the meadows in early summer, 

 the most suitable time is in genial weather in May, and 

 the spawn should be inserted in holes from six to ten 

 feet apart. 



The most expeditious and best way of inserting it is 

 that termed T-planting, striking the spade in the line 

 represented by the perpendicular of the T, and then in 

 the horizontal one on the top, pressing the spade back 

 when in the last position, so as to readily admit of the inser- 

 tion of one or more pieces of spawn. The kind of spawn 

 made as I have recommended usually falls into small pieces, 

 more likely to impregnate the earth quickly than the stiff, 

 brick-like pieces of nursery spawn. The ground, after 

 the insertion of the spawn, should be pressed firm with 



