604 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Fart IIL 



melons exactly in the same manner as if the spawn were not there, not omitting even to 

 tread it, as I find that a compact loam is more congenial to the growth of the mushroom, 

 than the light rich compost of the cucumber-bed. The heat will soon cause the spawn to 

 run, and extend itself through the dung, to the surface of the ground. In September or 

 October following, when the melon-bine is decaying, the bed is carefully cleaned, the 

 glasses are put on, and kept close; and when the mould becomes dry, it must be fre- 

 quently watered, but not immoderately, as too much wet would destroy the spawn ; ad- 

 vantage should also be taken of every gentle shower, for the same purpose. Tlie moisture 

 coming up on the dry earth produces a moderate heat, which soon causes the mushrooms 

 to appear in every part of the bed, in such abundance as even to prevent each other's 

 growth. I have frequently, at one time, gathered two bushels from a frame ten feet by 

 six, and have produced individual mushrooms of nearly two pounds' weight. The mould 

 being kept warm by the glasses, and properly watered, the mushrooms will continue to 

 spring till the frost of winter prevents their further growth. I then leave the bed, frame, 

 &c. just as they are, and early in spring, as soon as the frost may be supposed to be over, 

 I take off the frame and glasses, and cover the bed lightly with straw ; when the warm 

 enlivening showers of spring cause the mushrooms to be again produced in every part, 

 till the drought of summer renders it difficult to keep the bed sufficiently moist for their 

 growth. Sometimes I suffer the bed to remain, in order to produce a crop in the second 

 autumn, but more generally take the bed to pieces, for the sake of the dung, and also 

 for the purpose of procuring and drying the spawn, against the return of spring. When 

 I first thought of raising mushrooms in the manner above described, I was apprehensive, 

 lest the spawn, by running among the roots of the melons, might injure their growth. 

 I therefore planted it in one light only, but the result convinced me that it did no injury, 

 as, on the only plant in that light I grew a melon, of the black rock kind, weighing 

 eight and three quarters pounds, for the first crop, and another six and a half pounds for 

 the second crop ; both of which ripened well. Since that time I have always placed the 

 spawn over the whole of the bed, and have never failed to produce a good crop of both 

 melons and mushrooms. Should it be thought advisable to have a supply of mushrooms 

 during the depth of winter, I am confident (though I have not tried the experiment,) 

 that they might be obtained, at a trifling expense, by lining the bed with hot dung, and 

 using other precautions to keep out the cold air." (Hort. Titans, v. iii.) 



' 3446. Oldacre, at the end of his paper on growing mushrooms on shelves, &c. says, " They may be growr. 

 also plentifully, in hot-bed frames, by the same process as is recommended for the sheds. In this latter 

 practice, as soon as the beds are earthed, they should be covered with hay or litter under the lights, until 

 they are in full bearing, then remove the covering to the outside of the lights, to exclude the sun and air 

 as much as possible. In cold weather, if they advance slowly in their growth, the frames may be covered 

 with hot dung, which will greatly encourage' them. It must be recollected, that when these beds are 

 made in hot weather, air must be admitted as freely as possible into the frames, during the time of 

 spawning, as directed for the management of this part of the process, in cellars or sheds." 



3447. In old hot-beds. A good crop of mushrooms is sometimes obtained without 

 making a bed on purpose, by introducing lumps of spawn along the margin of late 

 cucumber-ridges, just into the top of the mould. This may be done from March to 

 May. (^Abercrombie. ) 



3448. In pits. Jeeves has adopted this practice, and thus describes it. " To make 

 my bed, the dung was placed in the bottom of the pit, and rammed tightly down, to 

 about the thickness of eighteen inches ; the dung itself producing sufficient heat to set 

 the spawn running, after it had been introduced in the usual manner. Tlie bed was 

 made up last September, and came into bearing in six weeks ; it has continued to pro- 

 duce regularly to the present time, and requires no more heat than is collected by the 

 effect of the sun on the air witliin the house, except on frosty nights, when a little fire 

 is put into the flue. The mushrooms come up uniformly over every part of the bed, 

 which is covered very slightly with straw, (not sufficient to exclude the light,) for the 

 pui-pose of preserving moisture on the surface." 



3449. In dark frames. Nicol says, " If you have no mushroom-house, and yet are 

 anxious to have mushrooms in winter, a cover or frame, capable of defending the bed 

 from rain, snow, or frost, may be made at a small expense, thus : first, make a frame 

 of inch-and-half deal, nine or ten inches deep, six feet wide, and of any convenient 

 length, from ten tc twenty feet. Then fit a roof to it, three feet in the pitch, made of 

 thin boards, imbricated, w^hich lay over with two or three coats of pitch or paint. 

 The roof part to be fixed down to the wooden frame by hooks and eyes, or by bolts, so 

 as that it may be removed at pleasure, and to have two moveable boards on each side, of 

 about a foot square, to slip for the admission of air. This sort of frame being placed in a 

 dry warm situation, and being insulated by a drain or trench, would completely defen(^ 

 the bed from wet ; and by being covered, in severe weather, with straw or mats, from 

 frost. If the ground be not perfectly dry, a sole or floor must be formed of aslies, 

 gravel, or stone-chips, for the bed ; a thing necessary in any situation which is the least 

 damp, either within or out of doors." 



