eaIlThing otek the beds. 105 



against molding over mushroom beds as soon as they 

 fj-e spawned by telling us that in his first attempt at 

 mushroom-growing he had labored for two years without 

 being able to produce a single mushroom, and all be- 

 cause he molded over his beds with a two-inch casing of 

 loam just as soon as he had spawned them. Then he 

 changed his tactics, and did not mold over the beds 

 until the tenth or twelfth day after spawning, and was 

 rewarded with good crops of mushrooms. Now, not- 

 withstanding Mr. Henderson's experience, it is a fact 

 that many excellent growers spawn and mold their beds 

 the same day, and with success. But Mr. H. has done 

 much good in displaying a rock against which many 

 might be wrecked, so much depends upon other cultural 

 conditions. The old practice of inserting the spawn 

 three or more inches deep into the manure bed and then 

 molding it at once with two inches deep of loam was 

 enough to destroy the most potent spawn ; nowadays we 

 barely cover the spawn with the manure, and this is 

 how molding over at once is so successful. 



All the preparation necessary is to have the loam in 

 medium dry, mellow condition, well broken up with the 

 spade or digging fork, and freed from sticks, stones, big 

 roots, clods, chunks of old manure, and the like. 



Sifting the soil for 'casing the beds is labor lost. 

 Sifted soil has no advantage over unsifted earth, except 

 when it is to be used for topdressing the bearing beds or 

 filling up the holes in their surface. 



The condition of the soil should be mellow but inclined 

 to moist. If wet it can only be used clumsily and spread 

 with diflBculty ; if dry it can be spread easily but not 

 made firm, and on ridge beds can not be put on evenly. 

 But when moderately moist it can be spread easily and 

 evenly on flat or rounded surfaces, and made firm and 

 smooth. 



How deep the mold shall be put upon the bed is also 



