Mushroom Culture. 245 



that state it is thought better to examine and gather from the 

 beds every second day, or even every day where there are many 

 beds. Into each little hole from which mushrooms have been 

 pulled they place firmly a small quantity of earth. Sometimes, 

 when the chemise gets mouldy and rotten during a wet season, 

 they remove it, and replace it with another ; and sometimes during 

 a very dry season they are obliged to water it. And thus they 

 grow excellent mushrooms, and in great quantity. 



The culture in a cave differs but little from the preceding. The 

 accompanying cut shows the size 

 and position of the little beds in the 

 cave. Shelves may be raised against 

 the walls to accommodate small beds 

 like the narrow one placed against the 

 wall of the cave. The manure is first 

 prepared above ground, and the beds FIG. 73. 



are covered with soft light earth 



soft white chalky earth covering such as I have seen. So far 

 as I had opportunities of observing, mushrooms are produced 

 on those diminutive beds as freely as upon those of a larger size 

 as abundantly as could be desired, in fact j but I am not able to point 

 out any distinct advantage upon the methods practised by good 

 cultivators among us, and chiefly speak of it in consequence of the 

 interest attaching to the cave-culture. I had, however, not suffi- 

 cient opportunity of seeing the French system of mushroom culture. 

 It is not very easy to visit the best market-gardens, and still more 

 difficult to find one's way into the mushroom-caves. 



Mr. James Barnes, of Bicton, who was as well acquainted with 

 the old school of horticulturists as he is well known among the 

 new, writes as follows of what he saw of mushroom-growing in the 

 neighbourhood of Paris : " Early on the first morning of my late 

 visit to Paris, myself and a companion started to see the grea. 

 central market. Our first object was to inspect the flower, fruit, 

 salad, and vegetable departments, where we saw quantities of 

 freshly-gathered mushrooms of fine quality. We then took a hasty 



