MUSHROOM GROWING 93 



Quantities will of course be decided by the amount of 

 spawn required, and the principle of making is the same 

 in large and small lots. 



Take a barrow load of soft cow dung, the same of 

 horse droppings, and the same of mould or garden soil. 

 Mix the whole well together, and by watering bring 

 the material to a consistency of dough. Have ready 

 moulds made of any rough bits of wood, nine inches 

 long, six inches wide, and two inches deep. Place the 

 material on the potting bench or some other convenient 

 place, and commence to fill the moulds. This is done 

 by placing the mould on the bench, and filling it with 

 the stuff, ramming it in as hard as possible, and finish- 

 ing the brick off nicely level with the edge of the 

 mould. Have ready in the middle of an airy shed 

 a shelf placed in such a position that the air can play 

 round it from all points. On this place the mould 

 sideways up, not flat. You will require to have the 

 same number of moulds as the number of bricks you 

 intend making (once made they will last for years). 



When the moulds are all filled and placed in the 

 shed to dry they will require no further attention for, 

 say, ten days or a fortnight, by which time they will 

 have attained such consistency and toughness as to be 

 in a condition to bear punching fine shallow holes in 

 each, one at each corner and one in the middle ready 

 to receive the spawn. Upon the quality of the spawn 

 will depend almost entirely the success of the operation. 

 Under proper conditions the vitality of spawn may be 

 preserved for a number of years, the length of time 



