1378 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



2. Spawning at a temperature injuri- 

 ously high. 



3. The use of too much water either 

 at the time of spawning or later, 



4. Unfavorable temperature during 

 the growing period. 



It is therefore important to the pros- 

 pective grower that careful attention be 

 given to the general discussion of condi- 

 tions which follows: 



Temperature and Moisture 



Mushrooms may be grown in any place 

 where the conditions of temperature and 

 moisture are favorable. A shed, cellar, 

 cave or vacant space in a greenhouse may 

 be utilized to advantage for this purpose. 

 The most essential factor, perhaps, is 

 that of temperature. The proper temper- 

 ature ranges from 53 degrees to 60 de- 

 grees F., with the best from 55 degrees 

 to 58 degrees F. It is unsafe to attempt 

 to grow mushrooms on a commercial ba- 

 sis, according to our present knowledge 

 of the subject, at a temperature much 

 less than 50 degrees or greater than 63 

 degrees F. Any severe changes of tem- 

 perature retard growth, or else act in- 

 juriously, and many changes of tempera- 

 ture would entirely destroy the profits of 

 the mushroom crop. From this it is evi- 

 dent that in many places mushrooms may 

 not be grown as a summer crop. With 

 artificial heat they may be grown almost 

 anywhere throughout the winter. More- 

 over, it is very probable that in this 

 country open-air culture must be limited 

 to a few sections, and restricted, commer- 

 cially at least, to a single season. 



A second important factor is that of 

 moisture. The place should not be very 

 -damp, or constantly dripping with water. 

 Under such conditions successful com- 

 mercial work is not possible. A place 

 where it is possible to maintain a fairly 

 moist condition of the atmosphere, and 

 having such capability for ventilation as 

 will cause at least a gradual evaporation, 

 is, by general practice and by the most 

 extensive experimentation, shown to be 

 necessary. With too rapid ventilation 

 and the consequent necessity of repeated 

 applications of water to the mushroom 



bed no mushroom crop will attain the 

 highest perfection. 



Caves, Cellarsj and Houses 



Cellars, caves and abandoned mines, 

 or specially constructed houses, are used 

 for growing mushrooms, because in such 

 places only can the conditions of tem- 

 perature and moisture be best regulated. 

 Cold is less injurious to mushroom beds 

 than heat. The former renders the bed 

 for a time unproductive; but the latter 

 stimulates the spawn to too rapid growth, 

 which is usually followed by the produc- 

 tion of unsalable mushrooms, or by the 

 eventual death of the spawn, supposedly 

 by damping off. 



Mushrooms may often be grown in a 

 very simply constructed shed or unused 

 barn which will provide against any sud- 

 den changes of the temperature, and 

 when it is possible to employ artificial 

 heat the season for mushroom production 

 in such structures may be greatly ex- 

 tended. Cellars are very commonly used 

 in producing mushrooms for family use. 

 Natural or artificial caves are of the first 

 importance, however, for commercial 

 work, since the situation of these below 

 the surface will best insure a tempera- 

 ture throughout almost the entire year 

 more or less close to that which is de- 

 sired. In selecting caves or cellars, one 

 should guard against the possibility of 

 flooding or of too much seepage water 

 during a rainy season. Perhaps the least 

 satisfactory situation among those men- 

 tioned is the greenhouse. Under ordinary 

 circumstances it heats up too readily dur- 

 ing days of warm sunshine, and, unless 

 special precautions are taken it is not to 

 be generally recommended for amateurs. 

 Nevertheless, during the fall and winter 

 it is possible to grow mushrooms under 

 the benches or in any other unused space 

 with but very little outlay of money or 

 labor. Cold frames may also be used to 

 good advantage during the autumn or 

 spring. The natural caves of this country 

 and abandoned coal mines in some sec- 

 tions should be further investigated with 

 relation to their adaptability for the com- 

 mercial production of mushrooms. A 



