38 MUSHROOMS. 



gathered thirty beautiful mushrooms from Uin. to 3in. m 

 diameter." 



Mushrooms in Grass Plot. — "On May 23 I had," 

 says a writer in "Amateur Gardening," " seven pieces of turf 

 1ft. square taken up in my grass plot, and Tin. depth of 

 soil taken out, then filled with fresh horse manure rammed 

 well down, and pieces of spawn inserted. Now, September 1, 

 mushrooms are coming' freely." 



CHAPTER IX. 



MUSHROOMS IN ODD CORNERS. 



The following hints and sketch originally appeared in 

 "Amateur Gardening " from the pen of a valued contributor 

 ("F. W."): 



Apart from the cultivation of mushrooms as a commercial 

 enterprise, it is also a most interesting hobby for gardening 

 amateurs to pursue. Many readers may consider the Mush- 

 room an unimportant subject, but, if they think for a moment 

 of the immense consumption of this fungus in England and 

 France alone, they will see that it is a matter worthy of 

 consideration. There are growers of mushrooms in the 

 suburbs of Paris who send to market more than 2,0001b. a 

 day each. Then there is something almost wonderful about 

 mushroom culture. No seeds are planted — only a few pieces 

 of dirt apparently are put into a bed of manure, and yet 

 a crop of pearly-white mushrooms is produced as if by magic. 



The Mushroom is of an accommodating nature, and good 

 crops may often be seen growing in old tubs in out-of-tlie-way 

 corners of sheds and outbuildings, in abandoned greenhouses, 

 and even on shelves in stables. If no accommodation of this 



