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inch thick when finally pressed down. This soil 

 when applied should be neither too dry nor too moist, 

 so that it can be trodden down as firm as possible, and 

 then well watered with tepid water afterwards and 

 beaten with the back of a clean spade, so that the 

 surface will appear almost as smooth as if coated over 

 by a plasterer. 



For the next month the cultivator will have little 

 or nothing to do in the way of attendance on the 

 Mushroom house. At this time of the year (Sep- 

 tember) his efforts must be directed to keeping the 

 house as cool as possible, and all that is required is to 

 damp the floor morning and afternoon with cold 

 water. The house, of course, must be kept dark. 

 At the end of a month after spawning the bed 

 should receive a good soaking of water at a tempera- 

 ture of 80 applied through a fine rose water-pot. 

 By a good soaking, is meant enough \.ater to soak 

 the crust of soil well through but not the manure. 

 The young grower must not be too anxious or too 

 curious or look for quick results. 



'The Crop. In about five weeks from the date on 

 which the bed was spawned (the date must be in- 

 dicated by a label) the grower's heart should be glad- 

 dened by the sight of small disturbances here and 

 there in places all over the bed, sometimes in irregular 

 patches and sometimes in long thin lines caused by 

 the activity and running of the spawn, which is soon 

 visible in streaks of white as if cotton thread were 

 woven over the ground. Every day will now add to 



