MUSHROOM SPAWN. 91 



thoroughly, and if exposed to the sun for two or three 

 days they will be ready to receive the spawn. In intro- 

 ducing the spawn two holes large enough to admit a 

 piece of spawn as big as a pigeon's egg should be cut in 

 each brick at equal distances. This should be well 

 beaten in and tlie surface made even with a little ma- 

 nure. The bricks should then be collected together in 

 a heap and covered with enough short manure to cause 

 a gentle heat, being careful that there is no rank heat or 

 steam to kill the spawn. This must be carefully at- 

 tended to until the spawn is found to have penetrated 

 through the whole of the bricks, after which they should 

 be stacked away in any convenient dry place." 



HOW TO MAKE FRENCH (flake) SPAWil. 



I can not do better than to let a practical Frenchman 

 engaged in the business tell this story. In Vol. XIII of 

 the London Garden I find an English translation of 

 M. Lachanme's book, "The Cave Mushroom," and this 

 comment by the editor : "The most complete account 

 of the cave culture of mushrooms which has been pub- 

 lished by any cultivator on the spot well acquainted 

 with the subject is that recently published by M. 

 Lachaume." 



Lachaume says : "The best spawn to use is what is 

 called ' virgin spawn ' ; that is to say, which has not yet 

 produced mushrooms. In this country this kind of 

 spawn may be procured of any respectable nurseryman, 

 under the name of 'French spawn.' It differs from 

 English spawn by being in the form of small tufty cakes, 

 instead of in compact blocks. Large mushroom grow- 

 ers, however, always provide themselves witli their own 

 spawn by taking it from a bed which is just about to 

 produce its crop, or which has already produced a few 

 small mushrooms. ... It is true that by thus 

 'breeding in and in,' as it were, the mushrooms show a 



