PREPARATION OF THE MATERIAL. 213 



any other manner, it can be kept from the mushroom 

 bed by placing spare shutters or glass sash over the bed, 

 at an angle so that the water will be carried away. Fig. 

 ? < illustrates the use of spare benches in the greenhouse, 

 for mushroom growing, while Fig. 78 shows the results 

 that may be obtained under the benches. 



In growing the mushroom, quite a quantity of 

 manure is required, and it is considerable labor to pre- 

 pare it and to make the bed, but as the manure, after 

 being used to grow the mushroom, is worth as much as 

 before for many greenhouse crops, the labor of prepara- 

 tion only can be charged to the mushrooms. Mush- 

 rooms are usually grown in cellars, where the heat and 

 moisture can be controlled, but they can even be grown 

 successfully in open sheds during the fall, and in Eng- 

 land they are very largely grown in the open air. When 

 grown in hothouses, the thing to avoid is an excess of 

 heat, which would destroy the bed, but in the ordinary 

 rose houses, or those of a still lower temperature, they 

 can be grown without difficulty, 



PREPARATION OF THE MATERIAL. 



For the growing of mushrooms, fresh horse manure 

 is necessary, and if this is carefully prepared, if the 

 spawn is good and if the proper conditions are given, 

 mushrooms are quite a sure crop. For this purpose, the 

 horses should be fed on hay and grain and not on roots, 

 as they injure the manure for mushroom beds. It has 

 been recommended by some, that all straw be shaken 

 out and only the clean droppings used, but while it is 

 not desirable to use the clean straw from the bedding, if 

 it is urine-soaked it may be used to advantage to the 

 extent of at least one-half. Manure that has been made 

 for several weeks, if it has not become "fire-fanged," can 

 be used, and, in fact, it is better to use manure that has 

 been well packed down in a pile for a month, even, than 

 to take manure as made in small quantities, placed in a 



