46 MUSHROOMS. 



much so as many vegetables, by far the most succulent pro- 

 duce being obtained when liquid manure of some kind has 

 been applied to partially-exhausted beds. After the first 

 crop has been cleared oiff give the bed a good soaking of 

 liquid manure— such, for instance, as well-diluted drainings 

 from a farmyard, or that obtained by soaking a bag of 

 sheep's droppings, cow manure, and horse droppings for 

 about a week in a tub of water, diluting this freely with 

 water when using it. Artificial manures may be substi- 

 tuted for either of the foregoing, and water impregnated 

 with salt at the rate of two ounces of the latter to one 

 gallon of the former, answers remarkably well. In either 

 case the water or liquid manure should be in a warm state, 

 or heated, say, to about 90 deg. when used. Give enough 

 at two or three times, if ne«d be, to moisten the bed 

 thoroughly ; then mulch with soft strawy litter, and look out 

 for more mushrooms in quantity sliortlj'. It is the beds in 

 dry positions and in boxes and hampers that dry the quickest 

 and require the most attention. 



Quantity of Manure to Make a Bed. — One ton 

 of manure will be required for every 4ft. run of ridge-shaped 

 bed, and a similar quantity for 6ft. run of flat bed. 



Yield of Mushrooms. — Each lineal yard of a pro- 

 perly-prepared ridge-shaped bed should produce 20 to 251b. 

 of Mushrooms. 



Law in Relation to Field-grown Mushrooms. 



— To protect mushrooms grown in fieldsi from thieves, and to 

 secure a conviction in case of the latter being caught gathering 

 them, place a board up in the field containing the following 

 notice: "Mushrooms Cultivated Here." Salt should be 

 occasionally strewn over the field and spawn inserted, then 

 there will be ample justification for stating that mushrooms 

 are cultivated, and anyone caught gathering them may be 

 prosecuted for theft, as well as trespass. In the event of no 

 notice being exhibited in a field in which mushrooms are 

 grown naturally, the only remedy against a person gathering 

 them is a prosecution for trespass. 



