80 



MUSHROOMS, HOW TO GROW THEM. 



low freight rates, as there is a duty here of 20% oa the 

 article." 



By direct inquiry of the leading importers in different 

 cities I find that we import about 4500 lbs of French or 

 flake spawn, and 4000 bushels, or 64,000 lbs of English 

 or brick spawn, and that fully a half of this whole im- 

 portation is handled by the seedsmen of New York city. 

 In New York one firm alone, who make a specialty of 

 supplying market gardeners, has in one year imported 

 1500 bushels of brick spawn. But the Ticinity of New 



FlO. 21. BltlCK SPAWN. 



York is the great mushroom-growing center of the 

 country, also tiie best market for mushrooms in the 

 country. One gardener at Jamaica, L. I., bought 1000 

 lbs of brick spawn at one time, and a neighbor of hie 

 bought 400 lbs ; this shows what a large quantity of 

 spawn market gardeners require. And the demand this 

 year is unprecedented; some of our leading importers 

 had sold out their supply before the first of November. 

 And it is not private growers so much as market growers 



