223 GEEENHOUSE MANAGEMENT. 



gathered at this stage when used for soups, and if grown 

 from French spawn. 



The English mushrooms, if to be nsed for other 

 purposes than in soups, may be gathered just after the 

 frill breaks, when they are known as oups, or may be 

 left until the cups begin to open out flat, when their use 

 is indicated by the name that has been given them, 

 broilers. Care should be taken to gather them before 

 the gills turn brown, as they will lose^ their flayor and 

 become tough and leathery. While broilers weigh con- 

 siderably more than cups or buttons, they do not bring 

 as much per pound, and as the bed will be exhausted 

 much sooner when they are allowed to develop than it 

 picked before the frill breaks, it is not always profitable 

 to grow them to the largest size. The cup is the size 

 most generally marketed, and they are gathered by giv- 

 ing them a sharp twist and pull, and placing in baskets 

 with the stems down. Pulling will be found preferable to 

 cutting, as none of the crop will then be wasted, and the 

 mushrooms will keep fresh longer than if the stems 

 are cut off. 



When mushrooms are gathered, it is best to take all 

 that will answer, and the picking should be at frequent 

 intervals, that none may become too old. In packing 

 the mushrooms, they should first be sorted into three 

 sizes, and after removing all dirt with a soft brush, pack 

 them carefully in the boxes or baskets provided for the 

 purpose. If to be sent any distance, a shallow, wooden 

 box will be desirable, but for local markets, light bas- 

 kets holding from one to ten pounds, according to the 

 wants of the customers, may be used. The mushrooms 

 should be packed quite firmly, and if more than two layers 

 are placed in the packages, they should be separated by 

 soft paper. One-pound packages are most commonly used. 



A well-made mushroom bed will remain in bearing 

 about three months, and although if kept at too low a 



