RESEARCHES ON THE CULTURE OF " MATSUDAKE " 



(Cortinellus Edodes P. Henn.) 



By Dr. SHOZABURO MIMURA, Forest Expert 



The Matsudake which ranks only next to the Shiitake in importance, 

 is produced to the amount of 2,500,000 kilos, a year. Unlike the Shiitake 

 which grows on felled trunks, the mushroom grows naturally in forests 

 of Akamatsu (Pinus densiflora, S. et Z.) whose distribution throughout the 

 country is quite extensive and it should not be overlooked in the exploitation 

 of pine forests from the economical point of view. 



The Matsudake is found then everywhere in the Country, from the 

 southern extremity of Kyushu up to the northern part of the Main 

 Island. Until the experiments herein recorded were made, the Matsudake 

 was only left to the natural product, so that it has remained less valuable 

 than it would otherwise have been. 



There were some, indeed, who attempted to carry out the culture of 

 the mushroom, but within our knowledge nobody so far succeeded. Thus, 

 the artificial means of propagation remained unknown. 



To artificially inoculate the mushroom one must be fully conversant 

 with the parasitic habits and the nature, so in this Station particular 

 study has been made of the spores, the results of studies we shall proceed 

 and summarize: — 



I. On the Spores of the Matsudake 



The mushroom which is classified among Basidiomycetes grows late 

 in autumn and produces colorless oval spores. 



1. The spore so obtained germinate well after a period of 5 months 

 so long as kept under ordinary conditions. 



2. The spores germinate in a distilled water, decoction of young 

 pine roots as well as in acid and alkaline. 



3. In a temperature of 16°C., the spores germinate after 20 hours 

 while in temperatures of 20° and 28°, 18 hours and 12 hours respectively 

 Are required. 



4. At a temperature of 0°F., in a nutrition liquid, the spores do not 



