particularly if the temperature is up to 60 deg. F. or more. Picking 

 is itself an art, and the intelligent owner will soon find that the yield 

 of a bed may be greatly lessened by lack of judgment in picking. 

 To satisfy the general demands of our markets at the present time 

 it is not recommended to take the buttons; yet, if there is a fancy 

 trade for these it should.be met. Little or no gain of weight occurs 

 in the mushroom, however, after the veil begins to break, so that 

 mushrooms should not be left after this time. Flat tops are a third- 

 grade article, but these, as well as all defective mushrooms, should be 

 sedulously removed -from the bed every day. 



In picking, grasp the mushroom by the cap (a large one by both 

 cap and stem,) twisting it to remove it easily from the soil. Where 

 the mushrooms come up in large united clusters, it will be best to 

 cut them, in order" not to disturb the mycelial connections of all. 

 Some good growers practice "cutting" throughout, but the stubs must 

 decay and are a source of danger. ^ After all good mushrooms 

 from a cluster have been taken, remove any ^eshy spawn masses 

 adhering and add fresh loam. 



As they are picked the mushrooms are put into shallow baskets 

 and taken to a sorting and packing table. The stems are cut off 

 and any adhering loam is brushed from the cap. It is true that 

 mushrooms keep somewhat better if the stub is left attached and 

 the loam removed by rubbing, but except in. special cases this pro- 

 cedure is not to be recommended. It is not necessary to cut the stem 

 off short, but the market demands that there shall be few long shanks. 



Four pounds Mushrooms in each basket. Grown from- Lambert's Pure 

 Culture Spawn. 



