MUSHROOMS. 659 



summer renders it difficult to keep the bed sufficiently 

 moist for their growth. 



The Rev. William Williamson, of Westbere, near 

 Canterbury, makes use of this method ; and should it be 

 advisable to have Mushrooms during the depth of win- 

 ter, he is of opinion that they might be obtained, at a 

 trifling expense, by lining the bed with hot dung, and 

 using other precautions to keep out the cold air. Hort. 

 Trans. Vol. iii. p. 6. 



Mushroom Spawn. 



In June or July, to any quantity of fresh horse drop- 

 pings, mixed with short litter, add one third of cow's 

 dung, and a small portion of mould to cement it to- 

 gether ; mash the whole into a thin compost, and spread 

 it on the floor of an open shed, and let it remain till it 

 becomes firm enough to be formed into flat square bricks, 

 which being done, set them on edge, and frequently 

 turn them till half dry : then with a dibble make two or 

 three holes in each brick, and insert in each hole a piece 

 of good old spawn, the size of a common walnut ; the 

 bricks should then remain till they are dry. This being 

 completed, level the surface of a piece of ground, three 

 feet wide, and of length sufficient to receive the bricks, 

 on which lay a bottom of dry horse dung, six inches 

 thick ; then form a pile by placing the bricks in rows 

 one upon another (the spawned side uppermost), till the 

 pile is three feet high : next cover it with a small por- 

 tion of warm horse dung, sufficient in quantity to diffuse 

 a gentle glow through the whole. 



When the spawn has spread itself through every part 

 of the bricks, the process is ended, and they must be laid 

 up in a dry place for use. 



Mushroom spawn made according to this process will 

 preserve its vegetative power many years, if well dried 



