422 



SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



after the veil begins to break and that an open mushroom is a third-class 

 article on the market. 



Mushrooms are a distinctly high-grade product. They deserve the 

 most careful grading and care in the selection of a package. The standard 

 grades in the New York market are Fancy, Choice, Buttons and Seconds. 

 Too few growers use a label, their packages being known only by a number 

 given in a commission house. The ventilated pound box will recommend 

 itself for the retail trade. The four-pound splint basket is the standard 

 wholesale package; these are tied in bundles of six for shipment by express. 



After picking, delay and high temperatures are to be avoided. Even 

 in cold weather some ventilation in the package is desirable. 



The Following are the Most Troublesome Enemies. 



DISEASES. 



Mushroom Enemies. — By providing suitable growing conditions and 

 exercising the utmost care in cleaning the house after a crop has been grown, 

 little trouble from insects or fungous enemies will be experienced. Every 

 speck of old compost must be brushed out. The bed boards and every 

 part of the house should then be whitewashed and if possible fumigated. 



Yield and Returns. — The profitable life of a mushroom bed averages 

 three to four months. A yield of one half pound per square foot will pay 

 labor and expenses, but one pound per square foot should be produced 

 under proper conditions. 



The average wholesale price is 25 to 26 cents per pound. Mushrooms 

 retail throughout the season from 35 to 75 cents per pound, depending alike 

 on season and quality. 



The cost of production depends mainly upon the yield and the cost of 

 labor and materials in a given section. The large growers estimate the 

 cost at 15 to 25 cents per pound. 



