230 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



lifted for forcing at the end of the third season, and each 

 year afterwards. 



Forcing and forwarding is carried on from November to 

 May. Both operations are quite easy of accomplishment. To 

 force, make up a hot-bed from 1ft. to 2ft. thick according to the 

 season, and cover with Gin. of soil. Put a box-frame on this, 

 and when the heat has fallen to 65 degrees lay the roots inside, 

 closely together, then cover with fine soil, water well, and put 

 on the lights, leaving them open slightly at the top. Cover at 

 night with mats. Cut when the shoots are Sin. or Gin. long. 

 For a continuous supply a fresh bed should be made up each 

 month through the winter. If only a small quantity is required, 

 this may be obtained by putting the roots in a box of moist soil, 

 and keeping it in a temperature of about 60 degrees. 



Forwarding is done by placing shallow box-frames over 

 open-air beds at the end of February. The frames should be 

 covered with mats until growth begins and each night after- 

 wards. With this purpose in view, beds of the proper dimen- 

 sions should be planted. 



MUSHROOMS. 



Agaricus campestris. 



THERE is scarcely any fear of over-doing the production 

 of Mushrooms, as the supply is seldom equal to the 

 demand, which is constantly increasing. Moreover, it is a 

 culture of the greatest importance to the grower who aims at 

 working the ground intensively, for not only is a Mushroom 

 crop profitable in itself, but the spent manure which is left 

 after the crop is gathered forms an ideal material for carrying 

 out most of the intensive operations mentioned in this book, 

 and viewed from this standpoint the culture yields double 

 profits. Indeed, since spent manure is so largely used in inten- 

 sive work there must be some regular source of supply, and 

 it is usually obtained either from exhausted hot-beds or from 

 Mushroom beds which have ceased bearing. In the latter case 

 Mushroom culture might be regarded as the foundation of 

 intensive culture, and if the crop did no more than clear 



