CHAPTER 31 



Mushroom Culture 



By H. M. Ware 



Practical Mushroom Grower, Delaware 



Over 5,000,000 pounds of the common mushroom (Agaricus campestris) 

 are grown annually in the United States. Besides these, in 1914 we 

 imported from Europe 9,188,177 pounds in cans, 30 per cent more than in 

 1910. Practically all of the $3,000,000 worth of mushrooms grown or 

 imported by this country in 1914 were sold in a few of our larger cities. 

 Hundreds of smaller cities and towns throughout the country offer unde- 

 veloped markets for this product, a fact which does not indicate that the 

 supply will soon exceed the demand. 



The uncertainty of mushroom growing as a business was eliminated 

 when Dr. B. M. Duggar discovered the " Tissue Method" of manufacturing 

 spawn in 1902. As a direct result of discarding the "Chance" spawn 

 imported from England and France, the American industry has developed 

 rapidly. 



While it is true that the bigger the operation the lower will be the cost 

 of production, nevertheless mushroom culture is adapted as a side line to 

 many farms. When sold, mushrooms enter the same channels, wholesale 

 or retail, as do other fancy products. Labor can be profitably employed 

 in winter. The manure used in the houses is in ideal condition for applica- 

 tion on the land. This point is better understood when it is considered 

 that the composting of the manure is almost identical with the methods 

 employed by market gardeners — that the fresh mushroom contains 90 

 per cent water and analysis has shown that, ton for ton, mushroom manure 

 is more valuable than fresh stable manure, having lost little beside weight, 

 water and weed-seeds. 



It should be understood that much hard and some unpleasant work is 

 unavoidable in mushroom culture. But that, with intelligent care in supply- 

 ing the few essential details, success and a legitimate profit are assured. 



The most common causes of failure are: 



1. Poor spawn. 



2. Heavy watering. 



3. Unfavorable temperature. 



4. Poor or improperly composted manure. 



Houses. — The place in which mushrooms are to be grown must permit 

 easy control of temperature, moisture and ventilation. While proper 

 conditions may be afforded by caves, cellars or unused buildings, it will 

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