MUSHEOOM 



FUNGI 



MUSHEOOM 1167 



botanists call the ' mycelium,' and 

 gardeners ' spawn.' This network of 

 ' mycelium ' may be roughly likened to 

 the roots of ordinary plants, but its func- 

 tions are absolutely and completely 

 different. The stalk or ' stipes ' is sur- 

 mounted by a circular umbrella-like mass 

 of whitish tissue called the cap or 'pileus,' 

 on the under surface of which are thin 

 delicate plates called ' lamellae ' or ' gills ' 

 radiating from the stalk to the circumfer- 

 ence. In a young state, when the Mush- 

 rooms are called 'buttons,' the edge of 

 the cap all round is united to the stalk by 

 a thin membrane or veil, and traces of 

 this membrane may often be seen forming 

 a ring or ' annulus ' round the stalk near 

 the top. On the surface of the thin plates 

 or gills there are special cells protruding, 

 some of which bear stalked spores. It is 

 from these spores under favourable cir- 

 cumstances that the ' mycelium ' or 

 spawn is developed, but the mode in 

 which they germinate has not yet been 

 clearly defined. Nor has there been any 

 trace of sexual reproduction between two 

 kinds of organs from the spores, as 

 explained under Ferns at p. 1008. 



Culture. — From the preceding 

 remarks it will be at once obvious that 

 Mushrooms being quite unlike any other 

 plants described in this book, as regards 

 either structure, growth, or repro- 

 duction, a somewhat different method 

 of cultivation is required. Ordinary 

 flowering plants and Ferns as a rule derive 

 their nourishment by sending their roots 

 into the soil, from which they have been 

 able to absorb a good deal of mineral 

 matter. The Mushroom, however, is in- 

 capable of converting mineral or other- 

 wise inorganic matters into food. It can 

 exist only on dead or decaying vegetable 

 or organic matter like most' other Fungi, 

 although some, such as the Potato-disease 

 fungus, referred to at p. 1136, will flour- 

 ish only on living vegetable tissues. 

 Fungi which live on dead or decaying 

 organic matter — whether animal or vege- 

 table — are called ' Saprophytes,' and in 

 this respect they resemble a few de- 

 generate forms of flowering plants. 



The decaying matter most suitable 

 for the cultivation of Mushrooms is good 

 stable manure, especially that from 

 horses, of which it may be said, the better 

 the breed the better for Mushrooms. To 

 this may be added leaves of any kind, 

 but preferably those of the Oak and Sweet 



Chestnut, as they give a more regular 

 and constant heat. The manure must be 

 turned over several times at intervals of a 

 day or two so as to allow the rank heat 

 and moisture to escape. If very hot and 

 dry, water must be thrown over the heap 

 to reduce the temperature and cause 

 quicker decomposition. All long, clean, 

 and uudecayed litter is best placed on one 

 side with the fork. It will be useful 

 afterwards for covering the beds. 



Makimg Mushroom Beds. — The 

 manure having been well turned over, 

 and consisting of short well-rotted and 

 equally mixed material, the formation of 

 beds for growing Mushrooms may be 

 commenced. No matter whether indoors 

 or outdoors, whether in barns, boxes, 

 flower pots, shelves, or any other position, 

 the principle of making a Mushroom bed 

 is the same. It may, however, be as well 

 to describe how an outdoor Mushroom 

 bed is made. 



A situation sheltered from the north 

 and east should, it possible, be chosen. 

 The ground on which the bed is to be 

 made should be rather higher than that 

 surrounding, so that water will not lodge 

 at the base or around the bed, and thus 

 deprive it of a certain amount of heat. 

 The prepared manure is placed evenly in 

 layers from one end of the bed to the 

 other, and is from time to time well 

 trodden down to make it equally firm all 

 over. The width of the bed at the base 

 may be about 3 ft. (a little more or less 

 does not signify), and the height may be 

 the same. The bed, however, becomes 

 gradually narrower towards the top where 

 it is rounded off. The manure, which 

 should not be dry, nor yet palpably wet, 

 but in an intermediate stage, should then 

 be allowed to cool until the heat in the 

 interior does not exceed 75°-80° Fahr. 

 Some growers say 90°, but the lower 

 figures are generally safer. 



Experts at making Mushroom beds 

 know perfectly well whether the tempera- 

 ture is too high or not for ' spawning ' 

 simply by pushing a long wooden stake 

 into the heart of the bed, and feeling the 

 buried end with the hand after it has been 

 inserted a day or so in the bed. If unable 

 to rely upon this method of testing the 

 temperatm-e, a long-legged hotbed ther- 

 mometer may be inserted instead to obtain 

 a more accurate idea as to the heat. In 

 any case, the point to remember is that it 

 is not safe to insert spawn in the beds 



