60 MUSHROOMS, HOW TO GROW THEM. 



much manure and cost too much, and they would not be 

 any better than with a rougher manure. 



Always preserve the wet, strawy part of the manure, 

 along with the droppings, and mix and ferment them 

 together, and in this way not only add largely to the 

 bulk of the pile, but secure the benefits afforded by the 

 urine without reducing, in any way, the strength or fer- 

 menting properties of the manure. Shake out all the 

 rank, dry, strawy part of the manure and lay it aside for 

 other purposes. Tliis may be of further use as bedding 

 in the stables, covering the mushroom beds after they 

 have been made up, or for hotbeds ; if well wetted with 

 stable drainings, or even plain water, it forms a ready 

 heating material. 



Many a time when we have been short of home-made 

 manure I have bought some loads here and there from 

 different stables in the village, and mixed all together 

 and made it into beds with excellent results. Sometimes 

 when the manure under preparation had been rather old 

 and cool, I have added a fifth or tenth part of fresh 

 droppings to it, with very quickening effect in heating 

 and apparent benefit to the crop. 



It is generally believed that the manure of entire 

 horses is better for mushrooms than that of other horses, 

 but positive evidence in this direction has never come 

 under my observation. Some practical men assert that 

 there is no difference. Mr. John G. Gardner, at the 

 Eancocas Farm, who has had abundant opportunity to 

 test this matter, tells me that he has given it a fair trial 

 and been unable to find any difference in the quality or 

 quantity of mushrooms raised from beds made from the 

 manure of entire horses and those raised from beds made 

 from the manure of other equally as well fed animals. 

 But the Parisian growers insist that there is a difference 

 in favor of entire horses, especially in the ease of hard- 

 worked animals such as are engnged in heavy carting. 



