CHAP. I. CULINARY VEGETABLES. 100 



broken bricks, about three inches thick, and covering a space about 

 fifteen feet in length, by about three in breadth. Upon the top of 

 the bricks I built up a bed of three layers of unbroken horse-drop- 

 pings, about three inches thick, and three layers of good mould, 

 also about three inches thick ; say, first, a layer of horse-droppings, 

 and then a layer of mould, and so on. The droppings should be 

 partially dried, and well beaten down before being covered with 

 the mould. 



" Water the bed occasionally, and in two or three months I will 

 guarantee a crop of Mushrooms. 



" Two descriptions of Mushrooms have grown, one with a brown- 

 ish top, and the other, which is much the finest and largest of the 

 two, with a pure white top. The gills of both are a light pink 

 salmon colour when fresh." * 



The character of the Common Mushroom of India Mr. E. J. 

 Pannell gives as follows : " The wholesome Mushroom is firm 

 and solid to the touch. When they first break through the 

 soil they are closed, and in shape somewhat like a page's 

 jacket button ; when a day or two old they open out like an 

 umbrella, and the gills or under-side are found to be of a 

 delicate pink colour, which changes as the Mushroom gets older 

 to a reddish-brown, and before it seeds gets almost black. The 

 upper side is covered with a whitish skin, that may be readily 

 peeled off from the edge to the centre of the top, and resembles 

 in texture thin white kid. No Mushroom should be eaten that 

 lias not a rich and delicate smell, even though it may otherwise 

 agree with the above description. There are other kinds also 

 that resemble the common edible one in point of colour of gill, 

 &c., but these, instead of having a firm, have a weak stem and 

 a slimy skin, and if cooked by mistake may be known at once, 

 as they turn to a bright yellow colour, and should be avoided." 



He further states that there is no need of a building to grow 

 Mushrooms in, and that he has raised considerable numbers in 

 different parts of the country in the open air. He says, how- 

 ever, that it is necessary to protect the beds in which they are 

 grown from excessive wet. His plan in essentials is much the 

 same as Mr. Lindsay's. He makes his bed of a layer a foot 

 thick of horse-droppings, that have been allowed to. stand till 

 their first fermentation is over; above this he spreads alter- 

 nately rather thin layers of loam, and a compound of horse, 



* ' Journal of the Agri-Hort. Soc.,' vol. ix. p. 320. 



