30 MUSHROOMS. 



CHAPTER VI. 



CULTURE IN CELLARS. 



Strictly speaking, no beds ought to be formed in cellars 

 under occupied houses, but many worse things than these 

 are frequently overlooked by the sanitary inspectors in both 

 towns and villages. The genial warmth and humid atmo- 

 sphere of a cellar suit mushrooms admirably, and that is why 

 such immense quantities are grown in a variety of under- 

 ground chambers in the neighbourhood of Paris, railway tun- 

 nels, and even arches under these and other raised roads also 

 being utilised in this country. Mushroom-bed manure is 

 scarcely what we should venture to take through a house into 

 the cellar, for reasons that need not be given to married 

 men; but there are many cellars that can be approached 

 from the outside, area cellars also being very numerous. 



The Beds. — If fairly large beds can be made in these 

 then the fronts should be supported by boards and strong 

 uprights, such as advised in the case of beds in sheds of 

 various kinds. The other details also to be similar. In many 

 cases the difficulty of having to carry manure in a cleanly 

 manner through the passages of the house can be dispensed 

 with by utilising old wine cases, a variety of other lighter 

 and cheaper cases, boxes, and even strong hampers in which 

 to form miniature beds. Excellent crops are sometimes 

 had in this simple manner, and tliat, too, by people who 

 cQuld not well go in for mushroom culture on a larger 

 scale. The manure used should be duly fermented and 

 turned, but will scarcely require quite so long a period 

 of preparation, small bodies of manure being less liable to 

 overheat than larger masses. It should be a dark brown in 

 colour, and only just moist enough to hold together when 



