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LII. An Account of a Method of growing Mushrooms under 

 Glass. By Mr, Stephen Jeeves, Gardener to the Hon. 

 Thomas Brand. 



Read March 5, 1816. 



Although it is probable, that the method of growing 

 Mushrooms, which I have pursued, these four months past, 

 is well known to many of the Fellows of the Horticultural 

 Society, and may have been practised by other gardeners, 

 yet, as it has not, I believe, been publicly communicated, I 

 hope the following statement may be acceptable. 



Not having a shed which could be conveniently adapted 

 to the plan directed by Mr. Oldaker, in his account 

 of the method practised in raising mushrooms in Russia, 

 without considerable expense in making a flue and erecting 

 stages, it occurred to me, that the pit of a small stove 

 (hitherto used for forcing flowers) might be applied to a 

 similar purpose. 



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. The bed was made up last September, and 

 came into bearing in six weeks ; it has continued to produce 

 regularly to the present time, and requires no more heat than 

 is collected by the effect of the sun on the air within the 

 house, except on frosty nights, when a little fire is put into 

 the flue. 



