•211 MUSHROOMS. 



had at one time, enough can be sorted frimi this to form 

 a ridge-shaped bed about 8ft. long. Separate quite the 

 longest straw from the manure, leaving only the short and 

 stained, which may be equal to one-third or rather more of 

 the bulk. Take good care of the longer straw, keeping it 

 in the dry, if possible, to prevent heating. The manure 

 selected for the beds must be thrown into a conical heap 

 to commence fermentation, which it should do, unless too 

 dry, in the course of three days. Before the centre becomes 

 violently hot turn the heap inside out ; in other words, the 

 outside of the first heap is to form the centre of the second. 

 Leave thus for another two days, when another turn should 

 be given. This proceeding should be repeated about five 

 times, the preparation occupying from ten days to a fort- 

 night. Heavy rains should be warded off by means of either 

 shutters, glazed frame-lights, or strips of corrugated iron. 



Should the weather be dry, then the chances are the 

 manure will become too dry to ferment properly, and will 

 require to be gently moistened each time it is turned. It 

 should be remembered that the object of all this careful pre- 

 paration is to get rid of noxious gases without greatl}' im- 

 pairing the heating properties of the manure. To suit mush- 

 rooms the latter must be both sweet and in a steadily- 

 decaying state, a gentle, lasting, and not a violent rank heat 

 being necessary. Wlien a bed is formed of badlj'-prepared 

 materials it is liable to overheat, and become dry and musty 

 in the centre, and mushrooms will not grow in such stuff. 

 Sometimes the manure, if not well prepared, overheats to 

 such an extent after spawning takes place as to quite destroy 

 the mycelium, this being another very frequent cause of par- 

 tial or complete failure. For fiat beds, these being formed 

 under cover of some kind, rather more of the ^;hort, stained 

 straw should be separated in the first instance, but in all 

 other respects the preparation ought to be much the same. 



Tree Leaves. — Although short horse-stable manure and 

 droppings are preferable for mushroom beds generally, it has 

 frequently been found that good results attend the use of 



