THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. 363 



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I drive down towards the boftom of the bed at about a distance of 1 5 r» ) 

 13 inches over the bed which form air chambers for the escape of steam c (j 

 and vapour, which is injurious to the action of the spawn ; after this, \ 

 the heat will decrease rapidly. When the bed has reached a proper J 

 temperature the spawn may be inserted in holes made by a mallet or 

 other suitable instrument, to the depth of two or three inches, then 

 close the air chambers with the mallet, and the spawn will be in im- 

 mediate operation. I never add soil to a b-d until I see the spawn in 

 motion, then I collect some maiden soil from a loamy sod which has 

 not been broken for many years, and cover the bed to the depth of 3 

 or 4 inches, and beat it firm with a spade, covering it over with hay 

 or boards to keep it dark and make the mushrooms white. Watch the 

 bed closely, never giving water but when nearly dry, and then it 

 should be heated to a moderate temperature. From such a bed which 

 I spawned on the 16th of January 1852, I cut a dish in five weeks, and 

 the bed remained in bearing for three months, during which time I 

 cut some bushels of mushrooms. It contained about six square yards, 

 [renewed it in November, and spawned it on the 15th of the same 

 month, and will furnished my employer with a dish of mushrooms on 

 Christmas day. 



W. Hammill, Woodbrook. 



.Mr. Editor — I wish to hear again from your correspondent at page 

 200, if he was very sure that the vineyards between Orleans & Nantes, 

 on the banks o^ the Seine, were planted with white and rose Chasse- 

 las. I have seen vineyards from near Lyons to Paris, through Burgun- 

 dy, then to Rheims, Champagne, &c, and I have never seen nor heard 

 of the Chas^elas grown in vineyards to make wine j but if he says so, 

 I will believe him. My impression was that these grapes were only 

 cultivated for the table, and are unknown to most of the vine dressers. 

 The mistake, if any, must be attributed to the uncertainty of observa- 

 tions by steam. M. 



A machine fo r transplanting large trees was lately tested at Edin- 

 burg in presence of a body of gentlemen interested in horticulture. It 

 is arranged with cutters, which are inserted at a distance from the 

 trunk, and then forced to meet underneath, cutting the earth in the 

 form of a wedge. Arrangements are made tor the removal of the 

 tree when disconnected ; and from the success of the first experiment 

 no doubt is enertained of its utility. It is supposed the weight re- 

 moved amounted to thirteen or fourteen tons. The inventor is Mr. 

 i^McGlashan. 



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