Book I. 



CULTURE OF THE MUSHROOM. 



597 



either sow or plant something material, — a seed, slip, or root, which we both see and 

 handle ; but in the culture of the mushroom, we neither sow nor plant any thing visible, 

 at least to the naked eye. Yet it is certain, that mushrooms are produced by seeds, 

 which naturally vegetate in the fields at certain seasons, and which may be made to 

 vegetate artificially at any season, by a certain process, and by a composition, in which 

 the dungs of certain animals fonn the chief ingredient. The droppings of horses are 

 found to produce mushrooms more plentifully, and with greater certainty, tlian the dungs 

 of other animals. Hence it would appear, that their stomachs have less power to hurt 

 or to destroy the vegetative quality of these seeds, which being collected along with their 

 food, must pass through their intestines, than the stomachs of other anim.als ; or, that 

 the dung of horses is a better nidus for the seeds than other dungs. The food of horses, 

 consisting mostly of corn and hay, may, no doubt, be more replete with the seeds of 

 muslirooms than that of cows and other stock, which consists chiefly of green vegetables ; 

 but even the droppings of horses while at grass, or on tares, produce few or no mush- 

 rooms, as more particularly noticed below. This fact would seem to prove, either that 

 the seeds are collected in greater numbers, and are better preserved by hay or the straw 

 and chaff of oats, than by green food ; or, that green food may have the eflTect of de- 

 stroying them by its moistness in the stomach, or after having passed through it. It may 

 be further observed, that animal matter seems necessary to the vegetation of the seeds, or 

 the spawn of mushrooms. Hence v.e find them produced plentifully in old pastures, 

 and in cattle-sheds, whether these be frequented by horses, cows, or sheep, or by all of 

 them ; but the eatable kinds are never found in woods or fields from which cattle are com- 

 pletely excluded, though the herbage be ever so old. From the stubs of cut or decayed 

 trees, and about such as have fallen and are rotten, many species of fungi spring ; most 

 of which are nauseous, poisonous, or unwholesome. The seeds, too, may lie concealed 

 and dormant in various other matter, till put into a state of active vegetation by a proper 

 temperature, and a proper degree of moisture." 



3406. Jfliat spaiL'7i is. Spawn is a white fibrous substance, running like broken 

 threads, in such diy reduced dung, or other nidus, as is fitted to nourish it. These 

 threads produce, when planted, tubercles in the manner of potatoes. The true sort has 

 exactly tlie smell of a mushroom. Spawn, when once procured, may be extended or 

 propagated as spawn, without producing mushrooms. [K'ein ; Abercrombie.) 



3407. Producing spawn. This vegetable may be produced by first making lumps, or 

 what are sometimes called cakes of spawn, and afterwards placing them on a slight dung 

 hot-bed, where tlie spawn vegetates into complete mushrooms ; in which process of 

 making tlie spawn (as it is termed) different ingredients are used, but chiefly the dung 

 of horses, as said above. This has so far become a branch of trade, as that mushroom* 

 spawn may be had of most of the nursery and seedsmen about all the great towns in the 

 kingdom. 



3408. Originating mushrooms without planting spaion. Nicol says, " I have formerly 

 been in the practice of producing mushrooms, however, most successfully, without using 

 spawn, and by a very simple process : I might rather say, without transplanting spawn, 

 in the common way, but by making the bed a whole mass of spawn at once, and never 

 disturbing it till done bearing. Beds that are built in the common way, and spawned, 

 seldom produce long ; perhaps only a few weeks or months. I have had them continue to 

 yield large crops the year round, and sometimes for two years. But mushroom-beds, in 

 whatever way made, are subject to many misfortunes ; and the spawn is of a nature so 

 delicate, that it is quickly destroyed either by too much wet or drought. By making up 

 a bed in the ordinary way, that is, of stable-dung, moderately fermented, to the thickness 

 of about a yard ; spawning it over when the strong heat has subsided, and then covering 

 it with light earth, mushrooms may be obtained sooner than by the process I shall 

 recommend. But if this process be more slow, it has the advantage of being more sure ; 

 and the time of reaping may be reckoned upon with equal certainty. The difference of 

 time, from first proceeding to make the beds to gathering mushrooms, will generally be 

 three or four weeks. By the first method, you may reap in six or eight weeks ; and by 

 the latter, in ten or twelve." 



^9. Proceed thus : " After having laid a floor, as hinted at abuve, of ashes, stone-chips, gravel, or 

 brick-bats, so as to Iceep the bed quite dry, and free from under-damp, lay a course of horse-droppings six 

 inches thick. These should be new from the stable, and must not be broke ; and the drier the better. 

 They may be collected every day, until the whole floor or sole be covered to the above thickness ; but 

 they must not be allowed to ferment or heat. In the whole process of making up, the bed should be as 

 much exposed to the air as possible ; and it should be carefully defended from wet, if out of doors. 

 When this course i.^ quite dry, and judged to be past a state of fermentation, cover it to the thickness of 

 two inches v/ith light dry earth ; if sandy, so much the better. It is immaterial whether it be rich or 

 not ; the only use of earth here being for the spawn to run and mass in. Now lay another course of 

 droppings, and earth them over as above, when past a state of fermentation ; then a third course, which 

 in like manner earth over. This finishes the bed, which will be a very strong and productive one, if 

 properly managed allerwards. Observe, that in forming the bed it should be a little rounded, in order 

 that the centre may not be more wet or moist than the sides. This may be done in forming the sole or 

 floor at first, and the bed would then be of equal strength in all parts. If it be made up against a wall 

 ill a cellar, stable, or shed, it may have a slope of a few inches from the back to the front, less or more, 



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