MUSHEOOMS. 173 



years, and it will probably continue to do so steadily 

 from year to year. The supply of fresh Mushrooms 

 has ahvays fallen short of the demand, and yet there 

 have been very few attempts made, so far, by men 

 of capital to erect suitable structures for their culti- 

 vation. 



The few Mushrooms that reach the markets at 

 present are gathered in small lots in pasture fields. 

 Occasionally, an energetic gardener, who has some 

 unoccupied space near his boilers either in forcing 

 or green-houses, puts up a rough contrivance for a 

 Mushroom-bed. If successful, they are sent to mar- 

 ket, sure to command a good price ; but very often 

 the experiment fails, and nothing more is heard of 

 the undertaking. When a proper building can be 

 had, and an even temperature kept up. Mushrooms 

 may be grown for family use or for market without 

 much trouble, provided proper care is observed in the 

 selection and preparation of the manure used, which 

 is the important point. 



Some few years ago we constructed two caves, 

 each five hundred feet long, for growing Mushrooms. 

 They were fourteen feet wide, five feet deep, and 

 covered with a board roof, forming a right angle 

 with the two sides. The roof, made of joist for raft- 

 ers and hemlock boards, was covered with earth to 

 the depth of twenty inches and then thatched with 

 straw. In these structures an even temperature 

 was maintained without fire, and while the roofing 

 lasted, the growth of Mushrooms pro I'ed a success. 

 When the beds came into full bearing they pre- 

 sented an interestino' siffht — the entire 3urfa.ce of tlie 



