70 illSHROOilS, HOW TO GROW THEM. 



in the event of dull, cold weather, cover up the pile 

 quite snugly with straw and shutters to start the heat iu 

 it. Altogether, a warm, close shed would be better. 



It seldom happens that one can get all the manure he 

 wants at one time ; it accumulates by degrees. This is 

 the case with the market grower who uses many tons, 

 and hauls it home from the city stables a little at a 

 time ; also with the private grower, who uses only a few 

 bushels or half a coid, and has it accumulate for days or 

 weeks fiom his own stable. As the manure accumulates 

 throw it into a pile, straw and all, but not into such a 

 big pile that it will heat violently; and particularly 

 observe that it shall not "fire-fang" or "burn" in the 

 heap. If it shows any tendency to do this, turn it over 

 loosely, sprinkle it freely with water, spread it out a 

 little, and after a few hours, or when it has cooled off 

 nicely, throw it up into a pile again and tread it firmly 

 to keep it moist and from heating hastily. 



When enough manure has accumulated for a bed, pre- 

 pare it in the following way : Turn it over, shaking it 

 fip loosely and mixing it all well together. Throw aside 

 the dry, strawy part, also any white "burnt" manure 

 that may be in it, and all extraneous matter, as sticks, 

 stones, old tins, bones, leather straps, rags, scraps of 

 iron, or such other trash as we usually find in manure 

 heaps, but do not throw out any of the wet straw ; in- 

 deed, we should aim to retain all the straw that has 

 been well wetted in the stable. If the manure is too 

 dry do not hesitate to sprinkle it freely with water, and 

 it will take a good deal of water to well moisten a heap 

 of dry manure. Then throw it into a compact oblong 

 pile about three or four feet high, and tread it down n 

 little. This is to prevent hasty and violent heating and 

 "burning," for firmly packed manure does not heat up 

 so readily or whiten so ((uickly as does a pile loosely 

 thrown together. Leave it undisturbed until fennenta- 



