MUS 



[ 622 ] 



MUS 



Spawn, where to be found. Spawn is 

 constituted of masses of white fibre 

 arising from the seeds of mushroom? 

 that have fallen into situations suitabl 

 for their germination, from which it is 

 to he obtained : such places axe stable 

 dung-hills, dungy horse-rides in stable 

 yards, horse mill-tracks, dry spongy 

 composts : the droppings of hard-fee 

 horses also produce it in greater abun 

 dance than the dung of any other ani 

 mal ; and more sparingly under sheds 

 where horses, oxen, or sheep have been 

 kept. The dung of the two latter affords 

 it in greater perfection than that oJ 

 grass-fed horses. It has also been 

 found in pigeons' dung ; but the most 

 certain mode of obtaining it is to open 

 the ground about mushrooms growing 

 in pastures, though it is said not to be 

 so productive. 



Time of Collecting. July, August, 

 and September ; it being reckoned in 

 the greatest perfection in this last 

 month. It may be found, however, 

 and should be collected, when it ap- 

 pears in the spring. It generally occurs 

 spread through the texture of cakes, or 

 lumps of dry rotted dung. Put it in a 

 heap under a dry shed ; and a current 

 of air, passing through the shed, is of 

 great utility. If kept dry, spawn may 

 be preserved three or four years ; if 

 damp, it will either vegetate before 

 being planted, or putrefy. 



Spawn must not be so far advanced 

 in vegetation as to appear in threads 

 or fibres ; for, when in this state, it is 

 no longer applicable to a mushroom- 

 bed; it may produce a mushroom if 

 left to itself, but otherwise is useless. 

 Spawn proper for inserting in a bed 

 should have the appearance of indis- 

 tinct white mould. 



May be raised. Spawn is capable of 

 being raised artificially. The following 

 is the manner : Two barrow-loads of 

 cow-dung, not grass-fed, one load of 

 sheep's-dung, and one of horses', well- 

 dried and broken so small as to pass 

 through a coarse sieve, are well mixed, 

 and laid in a conical heap during 

 March, in a dry shed, being well trod, 

 as it is formed, to check its heating 

 excessively. This heap is covered with 

 Jiot dung, four inches thick, or only 



with mats if the shed is warm ; for 

 here, as in all the stages of growth, the 

 heat should only range between 55 

 and 60. In about a month the heap 

 is examined ; and if the spawn has not 

 begun to run, which is shown by indis- 

 tinct white fibres pervading its texture, 

 another covering of equal thickness to 

 the first, is applied over the old one ; in 

 another month it will indubitably make 

 its appearance. The time varies from 

 three to ten weeks. 



May be increased. If a small quan- 

 tity of spawn only can be collected, it 

 may be increased in the following me- 

 thods, the first of which is chiefly re- 

 commendable on account of its sim- 

 plicity and facility of adoption : 



Small pieces of the spawn may be 

 planted a foot asunder, just beneath 

 the surface of the mould of a cucum- 

 ber-bed constructed in the spring. In 

 about two months the surface of the 

 spawn will assume a mouldy appear- 

 ance ; it may then be taken up, with 

 the earth adhering to it, and when dried 

 stored as before directed. 



The second mode is variously prac- 

 tised. In the course of May a heap of 

 the droppings of cow, sheep, and 

 horses, or any one or two of them, 

 without the admixture of any unde- 

 composed straw, is to be collected, and 

 and one-fifth of road-scraping with one- 

 twentieth of coal-ashes added, the 

 whole being mixed together with as 

 much of the drainings from a dunghill 

 as will make it of the consistency of 

 mortar. Being well incorporated, it is 

 then to be spread in a dry, sheltered, 

 airy place, on a smooth surface, and 

 beaten flat with a spade. When become 

 of the consistency of clay, it is to be 

 cut into slabs about eight inches square, 

 a hole punched half through the mid- 

 dle of each, and piled to dry, an open- 

 ng being left between every two bricks. 

 tVhen perfectly dry, a fragment of the 

 ipawn is to be buried in the hole pre- 

 riously made: it will shortly spread 

 hrough the whole texture of the slabs, 

 f kept in a warm dry place, when each 

 may be broken into four pieces, and 

 hen quite dry laid on shelves 

 eparate, and not in heaps, otherwise a 

 )ed will be formed for the spawn to 



