188 THE VEGETABLE CULTIVATOR. 



a good supply of mushrooms for some months, pro- 

 vided proper attention be paid to the covering. 



On the space marked for making the bed a 

 trench should be thrown out about six inches deep ; 

 the mould may be laid regularly at the side, and, 

 if good, it will do for earthing the bed hereafter ; 

 otherwise, if brought from a distance, that of a 

 more loamy than a sandy nature will be best. 



Either in the trench, or if upon the surface, there 

 should be laid about four inches of good dung, not 

 too short, for forming the bottom of the bed ; then 

 lay on the prepared dung a few inches thick, regu- 

 larly over the surface, beating it as regularly down 

 with the fork ; continue thus gradually drawing in 

 the sides to the height of five feet, until it narrows 

 to the top like the ridge of a house. In that state 

 it may remain for ten days or a fortnight, during 

 which time the heat should be examined towards 

 the middle of the bed, by thrusting some small sharp 

 sticks down in three or four places ; and when found 

 of a gentle heat (not hot), the bed may be spawned; 

 for which purpose the spawn bricks should be 

 broken regularly into pieces about an inch and a 

 half or two inches square, beginning within six 

 inches of the bottom of the bed, and in lines about 

 eight inches apart : the same distance will also do 

 for the pieces of spawn, which, in a dung ridge, are 

 best put in by one hand, raising the dung up a few 

 inches, whilst, with the other, the spawn can be laid 

 in, and covered at the same time. After spawning 

 the bed, if it is found to be in that regular state of 

 heat before mentioned, it may be earthed. After the 

 surface is levelled with the back of the spade, there 



