ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GARDENING. 
beds: Outdoors, July, Aug., Oct., Dec., or Jan.; sheds, etc., July to 
Feb. Temp. for indoor culture: Sept. to May, 55° to 65°. Dimensions of 
beds: Outdoors, 24 ft. wide at base, 24ft. high, 6in. wide at apex; 
indoors, 3 to 4 ft. wide, 9in. deep, no limit as to length. Tread or beat 
manure quite firm in beds. Spawning: Insert portions of spawn nearly 
level with surface, smooth side outwards and 9 in. apart. Temp. for 
insertion of spawn: 80° lin. below surface. Quantities of spawn: 
Divide each brick into eight portions. Size of bricks: 9 in. long, Gin. 
wide, 2in, deep. Bushel of spawn consists of 16 bricks. Period for 
covering -beds with soil: Three days after insertion of spawn. Depth 
of soil: lin. if heavy; 14in. if medium; 2in. if light or sandy, Make 
soil firm. Water previously if dry. Cover beds afterwards with 6in. 
of straw or litter in summer or autumn; 12 to 18 in. of similar material 
in winter. Complete darkness essential. Apply tepid water moderately 
when surface is dry only. Suitable stimulants: 20z. of common salt 
to 1 gallon; 402. nitrate of soda to 1 gallon; 40x. of nitrate of potash 
to 1 gallon; 1 oz. of sulphate of ammonia to 4 gallons of water, each to 
be applied in a tepid state occasionally after the beds commence bear- 
ing. Bearing commences six weeks after spawning. Duration of 
bearing: Two to three months. Gather mushrooms with whole of 
stem attached; do not leave stump in bed. Average cost of forming 
outdoor bed (23 ft. high, 24 ft. wide at base, 6in. wide at apex) 5s. per 
lineal yard. Average value of produce per lineal yard, 15s. Average 
yield of bed 25 yards long, 350 to 450 lb. 
CuLtuRE IN Cotp Frames: Insert spawn lin. deep & 9 in. apart in 
cucumber or melon bed in July. Jeep frame closed after cucumbers & 
melons have ceased growth. Water occasionally. Apply one of above 
stimulants when mushrooms appear. 
CuLTuRE oN Sipes or Horsrps: Insert spawn 2 in. deep & 9 in. apart 
in manure. Cover with 1 or 2in. of soil 10 days afterwards, & protect 
with layer of straw or litter. 
CunturE In Pots oR Boxes: Prepare manure as advised for beds. 
Vill 10 in. pots or boxes (Qin. deep, 2 to 3 ft. wide & long) to within 
lin. of top with manure. Beat this quite firm. Spawn & cover with 
soil & litter as advised for beds. Place pots, etc., in cool cellar, cup- 
board, or greenhouse; protect from light. Keep soil moderately moist 
& cover with straw always. Temp. in winter 55° to 65°. 
CULTURE IN Grass: Cut out pieces of turf 6 to 12in. square, lin. 
thick, and 3ft. apart. Stir soil below and press into it three or four 
Jumps of spawn, about the middle of June. Replace turf and water occa- 
sionally if dry. Best results obtained where herbage is short, soil 
loamy and dry, and position sunny. 
SPECIES CULTIVATED: A. campestris, Europe (Britain). 
Agathzea (Blue Marguerite; Cape Aster). — Ord. Composite. 
‘Greenhouse herbaceous perennial. First introduced 1753. 
CULTURE: Compost, sandy loam two parts, leaf-mould, & sand one 
part. Position, pots, sunny greenhouse, or warm beds outdoors, May 
‘to Sept. Pot, March. Water freely in summer, moderately other 
‘times. Propagate by cuttings of young shoots March or Aug., in sandy 
‘soil, temp. 55° to 65°. 
SPECIES CULTIVATED: A. celestis, blue, June to Aug., 12 to 18 ins., S. Africa. 
Agave dace. Aloe; Century-plant; Mexican Soap-plant).— 
‘Ord. Amaryllidaces. Greenhouse plants. Ornamental foliage & 
lowering, Evergreen. Nat. Mexico. First introduced 1640. Flowers, 
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