CULTURE OF MUSHROOMS. 



247 



ing in any matter •within measurable distance of 

 it checks, if it does not destroy it ; for this reason 

 the materials must be moderately dry, and for this 

 reason also the bed must be kept dry for a period of 

 five or six weeks after spa^wniug, and during such 

 time as the spreading of the spawn fibres in process 

 of growth takes place. It is owing to want of bet- 

 ter knowledge in this respect concerning the earlier 

 stages of progress of those underground fibres, that so 

 many fail in attempts at growing this crop ; the 

 belief being that moisture is the very existence or 

 Ufe of this strange production, an inference obtained, 

 no doubt, from the thought that during damp, showery 

 autumns the indigenous crop is most abundant. The 

 fact is overlooked that invariably a dry spring or 

 early summer period, giving birth and life to these 

 underground ramifications, preceded such an one of 

 dampness. Q-enerally after beds have been spawned 

 and soiled about five or six weeks the minute buttons 

 begin to appear. Then is the time to commence 

 slightly sprinkling, or syringing, the surface of the 

 bed, to be continued and increased as the crop 

 matures, until in about six or eight days such a 

 main watering may be given as will find its way 

 throughout, down to the very bottom of the bed. In 

 connection with such watering, should the bed be one 

 heated in-doors during winter, a nice warmth should 

 be generated throughout in the heating media and 

 the house or shed. The water used should be 

 slightly warmed for the purpose. In like manner 

 when out-door beds are watered it is best done 

 upon a warm sunny day. From this time forward 

 the bed must be frequently moistened upon its 

 surface, and receive such an amount of water 

 within generally, as will insure to it a nice amount 

 of internal moisture, which can be secured without 

 much risk if a good site has been chosen and the 

 drainage, consisting of rough materials at the 

 bottom, is perfect. After beds have been "in crop " 

 about one month, or at such time as the supply of 

 produce decreases, give a watering with moderately 

 strong liquid manure, adding about an ounce of 

 comanon salt to each gallon of water. 



Scientific research has all but demonstrated the 

 fact that the surface growth, or the Mushi-oom itself, 

 is an immense absorbent of food for its own growth 

 and support, as witness, even during long dry periods 

 in early autumn, what a free growth field Mushrooms 

 make during nights when excessive dews prevail. 

 This shows that very frequent surface sprinklings 

 are more to be desired than much water below the 

 surface. By the practice of the former, beds will 

 not only be more productive throughout, but wilL 

 continue far longer in bearing. 



It is injurious to the future crop to permit the 

 produce to become old before cutting, as the spores 



then ripen, and place a far greater tax upon the 

 base. As far as possible, gather the crop by twisting 

 ofE each single Mushroom. Where clusters grow 

 together, however, they must be neatly cut off. The 

 old base should be removed immediately it shows 

 symptoms of decay, or it wiU communicate such to 

 the other active portion below ground. 



We have treated thus far of definite methods by 

 which Mushrooms can be produced. By the employ- 

 ment of similar practices, iu connection with such 

 materials as we have named, there is, however, 

 hardly any limit to the variety of ways they may be 

 grown — as, for instance, in boxes, baskets, pots, &c., 

 of any size. Many excellent crops are secured by 

 simply inserting pieces of spawn into the sides, &c., 

 of cucumber-beds; and, indeed, they have been 

 induced to grow by inserting artificial spawn into 

 pasture-land early in the month of May. 



British growers are very much behindhand in re- 

 gard to Mushroom culture. In France it has been 

 reared into quite a distinct industry, so much so that 

 it is estimated more than twenty tons are grown and 

 sold daily in and around Paris, where caves and 

 subterranean quarries are set apart for the purpose, 

 those of Montrouge in particular. 



The horse-manure of Paris is valued accordingly, 

 bought up and contracted for year by year; so 

 unlike that of our own metropolis, where the General 

 Omnibus and other companies can hardly induce 

 agriculturists to cart such away and keep their over- 

 filled yards empty. 



Mushrooms sell at from 8d. to 9d. per pound in 

 Paris, in the quantities named. In England, any 

 kind of punnet is charged at from Is. upwards. 

 Worse than this, 95 per cent. ' of British-bought 

 Mushrooms consist of the coarsest variety, indigenous 

 to our fields and woodlands, known in rustic lore as 

 the " Horse " {i.e., coarse) Mushroom. 



The chief enemies of the Mushroom are mice, 

 slugs, woodlice, beetles, and flies. Woodlice are 

 destroyed by being attracted to a dry corner and 

 made short work of with boiling water. Fresh- 

 slaked lime placed in water, used in moderate quan- 

 tities, win lessen the fiy plague. The other pests 

 are destroyed in many ways, which need not be 

 explained here. 



The produce of some beds is attacked by a 

 parasitical disease, consisting of a fibre-like fungus, 

 which overruns the beds and envelops the crop in 

 such manner that the produce is deformed, the 

 very fibres being enlarged, fiattened, or contorted. 

 The only remedy appears to be the removal of the 

 bed infected, a thorough cleansing of the site, and 

 the procuring of entirely new spawn. 



Mushroom spawn is an object of interest, though 

 in its superficial aspect simple and easily under* 



