WATERING MUSHROOM BEDS. 113 



from fresh horse droppings is the best, and the dark 

 colored liquid, the drainings from manure piles, is the 

 poorest ; in fact, this latter is not as good as plain water, 

 for it seems to have a deadening rather than quickening 

 effect upon the beds. Cow manure and sheep manure 

 make a good liquid manure, but still I prefer the horse 

 manure, and although having given hen and pigeon 

 manure ar.d guano fair tests I am not satisfied tliat they 

 have benefited the crop, and there is always a risk in 

 their use. Liquid manure made from the contents of 

 the barnyard tank has not done much good, but fresh 

 urine from the horse and cow stables diluted twelve to 

 fifteen times its bulk has given favorable results. 



Mushrooms not only bear with impunity but appear 

 to enjoy a stronger liquid manure more than do any 

 other cultivated plants, and I am satisfied that the weak 

 liquids usually recommended for pot and garden plants 

 would be barely more efficacious than plain water for 

 mushrooms. 



The manure water that has given me most satisfaction 

 IS prepared as follows : Dump two bushels of fresh horse 

 droppings into a forty-five gallon barrel and fill up with 

 ■water ; stir it up well and let it settle over night. Drain 

 off the liquid the next day and aid a pound of saltpeter 

 to it. For use, to a pailful of this liquid add a pailful 

 of warm water. Water of about 80° to 90° is best for 

 mushroom beds. Saltpeter is an excellent fertilizer for 

 mushrooms. I use it in two ways, namely : First, pow- 

 dered and mixed in the soil for casing the beds, at the 

 rate of two ounces of saltpeter to the bushel of earth. 

 Second, dissolved in water at the rate of two ounces of 

 saltpeter to eight gallons of water, and sprinkled over 

 the beds. 



Common salt I use as an insecticide and also as a fer- 

 tilizer, and am satisfied that it proves beneficial in both 

 ways. Sometimes I sprinkle it broadcast on the surface 

 8 



