376 THE NURSERY LIST. 



mass or "brick" of earth and manure. Various meth- 

 ods are employed for making the spawn, but the essen- 

 tials of them all are that the body of the brick shall be 

 composed of a porous and light material, which can be 

 compressed into a compact mass ; fresh mycelium must 

 be communicated to this mass, and then a mild heat 

 must be applied, until the whole mass is permeated by 

 the mycelium. The mass should be kept in heat until 

 the whole of it assumes a somewhat cloudy look, but not 

 until the threads of the mycelium can be seen. Ordina- 

 rily, fresh horse-manure, cow-manure and good loam are 

 mixed together in about equal proportions, enough water 

 being added to render the material of the consistency of 

 mortar. It is then spread upon the floor or in large vats, 

 until sufficiently dry to be cut into bricks. When these 

 are tolerably well dried, mycelium from a mushroom bed 

 or from other bricks is inserted in the side of each brick. 

 A bit of spawn about the size of a small walnut is thus 

 inserted, and the hole is plugged up. The bricks are 

 now placed in a mild covered hotbed, with a bottom heat 

 of 55° to 65°, and left there until the clouded appearance 

 indicates that the mycelium has extended throughout the 

 mass. 



Soil from a good mushroom bed is sometimes used to 

 sow new beds, in place of commercial spawn. 



Old clumps of mushrooms may be allowed to become 

 dry, and they may then be mixed into a bed. The 

 spores will then stock the soil and produce a new crop. 

 The full-grown mushroom may be laid upon white paper 

 until the spores are discharged, and these spores may 

 then be mixed into the earth. Propagation by spores is 

 little understood. (See page 24.) 



Mustard [Brassica or Sinapis species). CrucifercE. 

 Propagated by seeds. 



Hutisia. Compositce. 



Seeds. Layers and cuttings of growing wood, those of 

 the tender species in bottom heat. 



Hygindia, Rhacoma. Celastraceee. 



Seeds. Cuttings of firm shoots under glass. 



Ilyosotis (Forget-me-not). Borraginacets. 



Propagated by seeds sown in spring indoors or in the 

 garden. The perennials may also be increased by divi- 



