108 MINOR PRODUCTS OF PHILIPPINE FORESTS 



into a meal and strewn over the mats on which mushrooms are ' placed 

 for drying. The same meal loaded with spones may be used many 

 times for this end. The mixture thus obtained is kept and can be used 

 in inoculation by mixing with water and sprinkling it upon fresh billets. 



(c) PROPAGATION BY MEANS OP MYCELIUM. 



It is impossible in practice to obtain mycelium as is done in culture. 

 The most convenient method to obtain them is to remove the outer coating 

 of old billets that have been used in mushroom growth. The rotten part 

 of the wood in, which mycelium is abundantly found is ground into a 

 meal. This meal is mixed with water and be spread on fresh Konara 

 billets. The work is best done in winter when strong mycelium able 

 to resist the cold can be produced. 



The mushroom can be propagated by inoculation, but the method is 

 of so scientific that is could hardly be comprehended by country people 

 who remained ignorant of the possibility. 



After the results of study of spores and mycelium of the mushroom 

 made by us became fully known, they gave a great impetus everywhere 

 to the culture of Shiitake. ' An increase of over 20% in amount was 

 obtained by the adoption of t^e methods. Not only this but in districts 

 where Shiitake culture had hitherto failed, the success was obtained as 

 elsewhere by the adoption of our new method. There is no doubt that 

 the artificial inoculation of the mushroom as now carried on throughout 

 country redounds to the credit of this discovery and adds to success 

 of the forest industry. 



V. CONCLUSION. 



The spore of mushrooms loses its germinative power after a short 

 interval, so it should be used immediately after collection and this is 

 best done by inserting "mother billets" among the new billets to be used 

 in culture. 



The spore of the winter mushroom resists the cold well and therefore 

 spores grown late in winter by the "soak and strike" method may be 

 used in propagation to advantage. 



Mycelium grown on mother billets is also available -for propagation. 

 To this end, old mother billets declining the growth of mushrooms should 

 be made into meal, and this meal, mixed with water, should be spread 

 on fresh billets. This is best done late' in winter or early in spring. 



As the mushroom can be propagated either by the spore or by mycelium, 

 there is no place where the culture cannot be carried on, contrary to the 

 belief generally held prior to our investigations. 



With culture methods essentially like those practiced in China 

 and Japan enough mushrooms could be produced not only for 

 home consumption, but also for export trade. 



In the discussion of the edible fungi of the Philippines partic- 

 ular stress is placed on those forms that can be used commer- 

 cially. Since a large number of other delicious mushrooms are 

 commonly found during the rainy season, the most important 

 of these are also described. The paper takes up the fungi in 

 their systematic arrangement and not according to their econo- 

 mic importance. 



