WATERING THE BEDS. 221 



and blankets, no harm will "he done. For all tempera- 

 tures under 45 degrees, covering should not be neglected. 

 In warm rooms, and after the air becomes warm in sum- 

 mer, the mushrooms will be light and with long spin- 

 dling stems, while the bed will soon be exhausted. When 

 kept at 55 to 58 degrees, the mushrooms will appear in 

 seven or eight weeks, according to the warmth 

 of the bed, after spawning, while at 60 degrees, it 

 may not be much over six weeks, but the crop will 

 not last. 



WATERING THE BEDS. 



When properly prepared, especially if the bed is in 

 a cellar, or in a shaded house, watering should not be 

 necessary, but when artificial heat is used the beds 

 quickly dry out, and should be watered, if the mush- 

 rooms have begun to form. The water should be at 90 

 to 100 degrees, and should be used in sufficient quantity 

 to wet down the mulch. If clean, soft water is used, it 

 may touch the small mushrooms without injuring them, 

 and may be used in sufficient quantity to moisten the 

 covering soil, but it should not reach the manure. As 

 soon as the mushrooms are up, liquid manure or fresh 

 urine may be used with good effect. If the 

 air is not dried out by the heating pipes, a sufficient 

 degree of moisture can be maintained by sprinkling 

 the walks. Water should never be used at the, 

 time the spawn is beginning to run, as it may ruin 

 the bed. 



GATHERING THE CROP. 



In England, where mushrooms are so commonly 

 grown, they are distinguished according to their devel- 

 opment, as "buttons," "cups" and "broilers." The 

 "buttons" are the mushrooms gathered while quite 

 small, and before the "veil," or the membrane which 

 connects the cup with the stem, bursts; they are always 



