40 



l^REER'S ^UTUMN G ATALOG UE. 



1891 



MUSHROOMS. 



Mushroains as 



frown at the Mode' Farm, 

 supplied by us. 



Philadelphia, from spawn 



The cultivation of this valuable 

 and most nutritious esculent is 

 greatly on the increase, the bast 

 results have been obtained by the use 

 of our Superior English Mushroom 

 Spawn; which is largely used by the 

 most successful growers around 

 Philadelphia. We offer the best 

 French and English spawn. Ama- 

 teurs and ordinary cultivators will 

 find the English best' suited to their 

 needs. Full and explicit directions 

 for cultivation are contained in our 

 circular, '"How to Grow Mushrooms 

 Successfully," which we will mail 

 free on application. 



Best English Milltrack Spawn. 



Per brick, 20 cts.; per doz. §2.00: 



or per lb. 12 c ; per 100 lb. §10.00. 



French Spawn in 3 lb. boxes, §1.25. 



Extract from our Circular on "How to Grow Mushrooms Successfully." 



The cultivation of the Mushroom is a very simple matter and requires only ordinary intelligence and 

 care. The materials needed are fresh horse manure, good soil and live spawn. The manure should not be 

 too short, as it does not combine the necessary qualities. Long strawy litter, plentifully mixed with short 

 manure, makes by far the best beds, as it does not heat two violently, decomposes slowly and retains its heat 

 for a long period. Put in a heap and turn every 3 or 4 days to permit the escape of noxious gases and prevent 

 burning. Manure that has become white or " fire-fa nged " and mouldy is worthless for mushroom beds. 

 When ready for use it should not possess an offensive odor and should be as hot as can be borne comfortably by 

 the hand. It should also be moist, for if too dry the decomposition of the mass will be rapid and the bed 

 exhausted before the crop has matured. If a shed or cellar is not available they can be grown in the open air. 

 but the time necessary to perfect a crop will be longer. Make the beds 3 feet wide at the base. 2) feet high, taper- 

 ing to 6 inches at the top and of any desired length. The manure, when in proper condition, should be 

 quickly handled to prevent the loss of heat and be beaten down to make the heap firm and compact. When of 

 the desired size the sides should be dressed down neatly and the heap covered with long litter. Allow this to 

 remain till the heat has decreased to 90°. At this point the bed is ready to receive the spawn, which is done 

 by raising the manure with the hand and inserting peices of 

 spawn 2 inches square, 9 inches apart each way. Liberal 

 use of spawn results in larger crops. Many beds fail to give 

 satisfactory returns owing to the brk-ks being broken in 

 too small pieces. At the expiration of three days the spawn 

 will have commenced to run, and the bed is in proper con- 

 dition for covering with soil. Any good, fresh soil will 

 answer, but turfy loam from an old pasture or meadow is 

 preferable. If the soil is poor, add a liberal quantity of 

 bone meal. The earth should lie just moist enough to press 

 together nicely. If too wet when put on it is apt to crack 

 and thereby permit the heat to escape instead of permeating 

 the bed evenly. If the soil is light, put on to the depth of 

 two inches, but if heavy one inch will be sufficient. The 

 bed should again be covered with the litter, and it should 

 remain on till the lied is exhausted, only removing it to 

 gather the crop. If the bed shows signs of dryness, water 

 on top of the litter, and not directly on the soil. 



Mushrooms can be readily grown in cellars, stables, sheds 

 or pits. The requirements as to manure, soil, etc., are 

 similar, but the season can be prolonged and the temperature 

 regulated more easily than in the open air. Many are 

 successfully grown on a shelf in an ordinary cellar and yield 

 sufficient crops to compensate the grower for his effort. 

 Spent hot-beds also meet the requirements of the mushroom in a large measure. Bits of spawn can be 

 inserted before the bed has become cold between the plants. When the plants are removed keep shaded with 

 long litter and water occasionally if necessary. The space under greenhouse benches or stagings will suit 

 them exactly, using materials in' same manner as described. They will also grow admirably on top of the 

 bench, as shown in the illustration, using cloth for shading instead of litter. The time required for a bed 

 to come into bearing is 3 to 6 weeks. In gathering the crop do not cut with a knife, but pull them up with a 

 twisting motion. 



Add 8 cts. per lb or 16 cts. per brick if to be forwarded by mail. 



