176 MUSHEOOMS. 



cone-shaped. The manure is taken up in large hand- 

 fnls and pressed into masses of four or five inches in 

 diameter ; these are put in place and pressed firmly 

 against each other until the bed is formed — the in- 

 crease is by the addition of separate tiers. Tlie sides 

 of the bed are then beaten slightly with the back of 

 a common spade, leaving the surface smooth and 

 compact. In a day or two the manure will take heat ; 

 if it goes above ninety degrees before puttmg in the 

 seed it should be allowed to cool oS, which it will in 

 a few daj's. 



A light coating of fine garden soil is then put 

 over the whole bed, about half an inch in thickness. 

 The earth should be passed through a sieve before 

 using, so as to remove lumps, stones, roots, &c., &c., 

 and then patted down with a spade to make the sur- 

 face smooth. 



Spawn. — Mushroom spawn can be bought at most 

 horticultural stores. It usually comes in pieces of 

 the shape and size of an ordinary brick. These 

 bricks should be broken into pieces the size of wal- 

 nuts. By means of a garden " dibble" holes are 

 made on either side of tlie bed every six inches, in 

 the direction of the length, connnencing eight inches 

 from the floor. A piece of the spawn is put into 

 each of these holes, coming in close contact with the 

 manure, and covered o^■er with earth, or it may be 

 put in before the earth is put on. Two other lines 

 of holes are made at corrGspouding distances above 

 the first row, and spawned in tlie same way. It will 

 take three or four weeks beftire the spawn will have 

 traveled over the entire bed, presenting the appear- 



