June 16, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE ADD COTTAGE GARDENER. 



429 



arrangements, except that we merely give air at each end at the 

 ridge, and instead of other openings in the roof, we have several 

 slides and openings in the front wall, and hot-water pipeB under 

 the pathway instead of flues, which pipes are heated by a small 

 saddle-back boiler, which also heatBa vinery. We have, however, 

 been satisfied with two beds on each side, one on the ground 

 floor, and one on each side above it, because we were sure these 

 would give a plentiful supply ; and because there would be 

 more room for the man to work, and the trouble of carrying up 

 the manure in baskets by a ladder would be avoided. The 

 heating pipes, however, have less influence on the lower bedB, 

 and if our subscriber wished to have three beds on each Bide, 

 the bottom beds would just be suitable for Rhubarb, Sea-kale, 

 Tnrnip-tops, and blanched Endive in winter. We generally 

 take eight or twelve successions out of these beds. Those on the 

 ground floor are generally made about 18 inches thick, those on 

 the shelves 12 inches at the front, and 15 inches at back. We 

 always make the beds on the shelves first, and then the heat 

 from the lower beds helps the upper ones. 



We confess that on turning in the hot water we had formed 

 visions of a stylish house — brick piers, or rather iron columns 

 along the passage, with longitudinal cross girders of iron to sup- 

 port a bed with sides of slate or flagstone ; but we were forced 

 to be content with upright Btuds of oak fastened to the sill that 

 kept up the sparred floor at bottom, and a longitudinal plate 

 over the cross-beams already referred to. Cross oak pieoes, 

 3 feet apart, fastened to the upright studs at one end, and 

 entering the wall at the other, Bupport the floor, which con- 

 sists of oak rails, 2 inches thick, and 3 inches wide, with spaceB 

 left between of 1J inch. A board about 11 inches wide fastened 

 to the BtudB forms the front of the beds, and with a little 

 repairs every year these bedB have lasted some time. One ad- 

 vantage of this wood-sparred bottom for the bedB is, that if a 

 little earth is scattered over the rough litter which is used for 

 the bottom, there will frequently be a fair crop hanging down 

 from the bottom of the bed, as well as a thick crop on the sur- 

 face. We have sometimes from these openings seen clusters 

 8 or 9 inches long hanging down, and some ten or fifteen in a 

 cluster ; and if not noticed in time they would almost force the 

 slips out of their places however firmly nailed. We have, 

 therefore, been contented with a simple arrangement; but if 

 " Old Stoscbiber" wishes for a nice house, we would advise the 

 use of stone, or Blate, instead of wood. Every year in summer 

 we olean the house out, emoke with burning Bulphur and vitriol, 

 expose freely, and then whitewash, or rather limewash all the 

 walls. We cannot do this just yet, as one bed is still in bearing, 

 and our first bed out of doors, in an open shed, will not be in 

 for a week or a fortnight. 



Now as to materials. We have frequently stated how many 

 and varied are the materials used ; but for the present we shall 

 confine ourselves to what is best for Buch shallow beds in houses. 

 Eor this purpose the droppings of horses fed on hard food, as 

 oats and hay, are the best, mingled with about a third of the 

 shortest litter. If a third of the mass should consist of dried 

 noduleB of Bheepdung, deerdung, or even cowdung, it will be 

 all the better. We can scarcely ever obtain more than a 

 casing of horse-droppings; but our whole experience points to 

 them as the best for the bulk of shallow beds for abundant and 

 continued bearing. These materials will heat violently when 

 thrown into a heap fresh, and many allow them to do so to get 

 rid of the rankness ; but we prefer instead, to let such materials 

 lie rather open and thin in a shed, as the violent heating takes 

 away much of the nourishing properties in which the Mushroom 

 delightB. The less heat, therefore, such materials have before 

 being made into a bed, and the less the bed itself rises above 

 85° to 90°, the better the chance of fine Mushrooms. When 

 the materials are thus turned about and moderately dried, it 

 will be well to make up the bed, though thus shallow, at two 

 or three different times, beating firm at each time, as the exclu- 

 sion of air will tend to keep the materials moist enough and 

 prevent violent heating. The material must not be dust dry, or 

 the Mushrooms will be poor ; but it should be dry rather than 

 wet, as if too moiBt the spawn will run to threads and perish. 

 When we have imagined the material too dry, a easing of moist 

 eowdung after spawning has given consistence to the Mushrooms. 

 When the material waB too wet, as it may often be in winter, 

 we have wrapped each piece of Bpawn in a handful of short dry 

 litter, and had fine crops. 



Spawning. — Keep in view that the less violent the bed heats 

 the better for the MuBhrooms. If by a stick or a thermometer 



you find that the bed remainB steady at from 85° to 90°, it may 

 be spawned by inserting pieces about the Bize of a walnut every 

 8 inches all over the bed, and about an inch below its surface. 

 Beat firmly down after spawning. If the bed rise in temperature, 

 just move the covering off the spawn till the heat lowers again. If 

 the bed fall lower and Beem to cool, put another inch of fresh 

 droppings over it, and that will revive it ; then, after waiting 

 a few daye to see if all is right, the bed may be earthed over. 

 Fresh rather Btiff loam is the best. This Bhould be put on about 

 2 inches thick, well kneaded and beaten, which will make it from 

 li to 1J inch in thickness. When well beaten and levelled, water 

 it all over slightly, and then draw a clean spade over it to give 

 it a smooth firm surface. We also often use turf with moBt of 

 the grass removed, put on the bed grass side downwards, and 

 a sprinkling of riddled soil over all to fill and consolidate the 

 junctions ; and though it answers very well, we are not sure if it 

 is better than using stiffish soil. This enables you to clean your 

 bed at any time. The Mushrooms will generally eome quicker with 

 a slight sprinkling of hay over the surface of the bed to keep it 

 warm, but in a house heated by hot water this is less necessary ; 

 and at any time, especially in winter, warm vapour from evaporat- 

 ing-pans on the pipes is much relished by the Mushroom. 



The chief secrets for securing plentiful crops are having the 

 materials neither wet nor dry, but rather dry; preventing 

 them ever heating violently ; spawning when at from 80° to 90° ; 

 never allowing the bed to become warmer, though, when the 

 spawn is running, that will raise it a few degrees ; and never 

 raising the atmospheric temperature in the house above from 

 55° to 60°. Thus managed the average time from spawning to 

 gathering will be about six weeks. In a hurry we have gathered 

 in eighteen days. When the beds were rather cool and no 

 means taken to heat them, we have known them take from eight 

 to twelve weeks. When you know the spawn is all right in 

 the bed and rather dry withal, and too cool for a quick crop, 

 bore small holes a foot apart, water with water at 100°, and 

 cover the bed with 2 or 3 inches of litter, and this will soon 

 bring a crop up. Over-heating, over-moisture, and over-dryness 

 are the chief causes of failure. In one place the only Mush- 

 rooms we ever saw came up naturally in inside Vine-borders. All 

 the Mushrooms the MuBhroom-house yielded for three years 

 would not have served some of our cooks for a week : the mate- 

 rial waB always too moist, and the spawn was overheated. ,.In 

 another place the materials had extreme care ; the droppings 

 were dried and heated, and knocked about until all virtue had 

 gone out of them, were beaten hard enough, and then scarcely 

 ever heated enough, and the drying process was completed with 

 a roaring flue that dried the atmosphere of the house like a 

 killogie for corn. That house, with the materials more moist, 

 and evaporating-pans, and steaming from the flue, ought to have 

 supplied a township. 



In gathering it is best to twist the MuBhroom out by the 

 roots, and never to cut unless when they come in bunches of 

 unequal Bize. 



In watering much care muBt be exercised. In winter scarcely 

 any will be required if the atmosphere is kept moderately moist. 

 In spring and autumn it is best to make small holes and pour 

 the liquid pretty freely at back and front, as there will be a 

 tendency to crack there. If this is not done, a little litter may 

 be thrown on the beds, and the liquid allowed to percolate 

 freely through it. The water may average from 60° to 70°. Of 

 manure water we think the best is that obtained from sheep or 

 deer dung, and in a rather clear state. Any Mushrooms on the 

 bed should not be touched with it. We never like watering 

 overhead in-doors on the exposed Mushrooms, as it has a ten- 

 dency to make the skins leathery. In summer we were obliged 

 to syringe walls and floor to keep the place cool, but we now 

 prefer at such times a cellar, an open shady shed, or beds out 

 of doors under the thick shade of trees. For winter, &c. — say 

 from October to June, nothing is equal to a house facing the 

 north, heated by flue or hot water. Were we under the necessity 

 of having them in such a house all the year round, and if neat- 

 ness, efficiency, and ultimate economy were the chief considera- 

 tions, we would have all the wallB fourteen or eighteen-inch hollow 

 work, and would have double roofs, and then we could pretty 

 well defy the heat9 of summer and the coldB of winter, with the 

 assistance of hot water when needed ; and instead of wood, so 

 liable to rot and decay, we would have iron columns and iron 

 girders and bottom supporters, and the sides and bottoms of 

 the beds of slate some li- inch thick. Such a house would last 

 aB long as one wished, and seldom need repairs. 



