MUSHROOMS. 49 



PREPARATION OF THE BED. 



Fresh manure of various kinds will be found best 

 in pieparing a mushroom bed. The best success 

 is obtained by using fresh manure of horses fed on 

 grain ; the manure of horses fed exclusively on hay is 

 not as good in fact, quite poor. When any considera- 

 ble amount of manure has been collected, it should be 

 mixed thoroughly to make it as even as possible and 

 then piled. In this state it may be allowed to heat 

 and decompose partially. If a bed can be constructed 

 in a dark place, as under buildings, it will obviate the 

 necessity of preparing a cover ; otherwise, it will be 

 necessary to provide one to shut out the light (see Fig. 

 1). In some forcing houses beds are placed under the 

 benches. Old sheds also may be utilized. After the 

 manure has passed through its first heating it may be 

 placed in the bed, which may be made similar to a hot- 

 bed ; the manure being tramped in a foot to two feet* 

 thick, and should be kept moist constantly but never 

 soaked. 



Near the city of Paris, France, are many under- 

 ground quarries to supply building stone to the me- 

 tropolis ; at intervals piers are left to support the mass 

 above. When portions of these quarries are aban- 

 doned and left as empty rooms, they are claimed by 

 mushroom growers to plant gardens. While the sur- 

 face of the land may be growing wheat, beneath it in 

 the interior of the earth is a crop of mushroom-. 

 From these underground gardens an average of 300 

 pounds of mushrooms are brought up daily. 



Soon after filling a bed the temperature rises, often 

 reaching 100 F. During this time it must be watched 

 closely that it does not become dry and "burn out." 

 In a few days the temperature will return to 90 F., 

 and then fall gradually until it reaches the tempera- 

 3 



