42 



3048. Agaricus campestris. Mushroom. 



From France. Eeceived through Mr. W. T. Swingle, April, 1899. 



Blanc de Champignon vierge (Virgin spawn). "The cultivation of mushrooms is 

 carried on extensively in Paris. The tunnels of the abandoned stone quarries, with 

 which the gromid on which the city is built is literally honeycombed, are used for 

 this purpose. The beds used are of composted manure, and are built up into conical 

 ridges 18 inches to 2 feet wide at the base and 18 inches high. There are often from 

 three to ten parallel beds in each tunnel. M. Lecaillon has over 20 miles of these 

 beds, and many other growers have as much space in cultivation. In preparing the 

 beds horse manure, wmich has been fermented for three weeks, is used. When thor- 

 oughly composted the manure has very little odor. It is then very firmly packed 

 into shape in the caves or tunnels by men who tamp it with their hands and knees. 

 When the temperature is right, pieces of spawn the size of one's hand are inserted in 

 the right side of the bed every foot or so. When the spawn has grown through the 

 manure the bed is covered with one-half to three-fourths of an inch of quarry dust. 

 The mushrooms appear in about two months, and the spawn continues to yield for 

 two or three months, depending on the temperature. Cool weather is the best for the 

 growers, because the mushrooms grow slower and more perfectly, and the ventila- 

 tion is better. In summer, when the air in the tunnels is colder than outside, there 

 is no ventilation except that induced by fires, which are built at the bottom of shafts 

 in order to cause a circulation of air constantly in one direction. Eddies should be 

 avoided. Mushrooms are never allowed to open before being picked — they could 

 not then be sold In the Paris markets. 



The spawn soon runs out, and new T spawn must repeatedly be obtained. If taken 

 in an early stage the spawn can be propagated, but never after mushrooms have been 

 gathered from it. As a matter of fact, there are considerable variations in mush- 

 rooms, and, should a method be found to propagate spawn indefinitely without allow- 

 ing it to fruit, the industry would be revolutionized. The mushroom growers are 

 continually on the lookout for new spawn, which they Usually obtain from the gar- 

 deners, who force melons in small hotbeds. The spawn is prepared as rapidly as 

 possible, and a portion of it forced until it produces mushrooms. If these prove to 

 be good, the rest of the spawn is set in the beds and fruited; if not, the whole mess 

 of the spawn is destroyed. Recently Dr. Repin has discovered a method of raising 

 spawn from spores of the best mushrooms, and this is the spawn included under this 

 number. It is claimed not to contain any bacteria or other organism which might 

 cause disease. This virgin spawn is sold in the form of sterilized and compressed 

 slabs of manure, freely permeated by the spawn. These slabs are about 10 inches 

 square and one-half inch thick, and mav be planted whole or divided into two 

 'sets.'" {W. T. Swingle.) 



3049. Helianthus tuberosus. Jerusalem artichoke. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, April, 1899. 



Topinambour palate. A tall perennial with annual stems producing underground 

 tubers. Largely cultivated in Europe. The tubers are a violet red, slender at the 

 bottom and swollen in the upper part, where they are about 2 inches in diameter. 

 The tubers form very late in autumn and should not be dug until the stems have 

 nearly ceased growing. The flesh is sweet and very watery. The tubers are planted 

 in March or April, 12 to 14 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart. They require about 

 the same cultivation as corn. This artichoke is commonly grown for food for hogs in 

 America. In Europe they are used for making alcohol, and there are some especially 

 fine varieties which are grown exclusively for the table. Thene are said to be very 

 fine when baked like sweet potatoes; and they may be cooked in a variety of other 

 ways. This new variety called ' ' Patate ' ' is distinguished from the ordinary Jerusa- 

 lem artichoke. It is plumper, with angular tubers of a yellow color. It is of equal 

 value for starch and alcohol manufacture, and yields decidedly more than the ordinary 

 sorts. This variety was grown from seed at Verrieres, from seed obtained in Corsica. 

 It was first introduced to the trade in 1884. 



3050. Solanum tuberosum. Potato. 



From France. Received through Mr. W. T. Swingle, April, 1899. 



Royal ash-leaved kidney. This and Nos. 3052 and 3054 are the earliest varieties of 

 potatoes used for forcing in the market gardens about Paris. They are usually 

 sprouted before being planted. This in accomplished by placing the tubers in an 



