By Mr. William Hogan. 



307 



several weeks longer, if an unfortunate accident had not 

 occurred on the night of the 28th of last month, (December), 

 by a fracture in the ceiling of the room, which admitted the 

 frost. 



Notwithstanding this accident, however, I propose, after 

 giving the bed a few weeks rest, to renew the linings, and I 

 have the most sanguine hopes that my labour will be suc- 

 cessful ; for, upon a close examination, I find that the whole 

 mass of dung and mould is completely full of spawn. 



The place in which the beds are placed is a dark room, 

 about ten feet square, exposed to the north, and with an 

 earth floor. They are each about eight feet six inches long, 

 and measure seven feet over their surfaces from the floor to 

 the wall. 



Of the produce of those beds my master and many gen- 

 tlemen in the neighbourhood, as well as their gardeners, can 

 bear ample testimony. The appearance of the Mushrooms 

 was singularly beautiful. In their growth they formed an 

 apparently powdery substance resembling the Aphis Lanigera 

 in its young state, and this progressively altered till it became 

 more crustaceous and solid, ultimately forming large clusters 

 of from one hundred to two hundred Mushrooms. One of 

 those clusters, taken as a fair sample, was exhibited to you 

 by my master some time back, and from it you might have 

 formed a judgment of the general size and quality of the 

 produce of the whole bed. 



I have the honour to be, 

 Sir, 



your most obedient humble servant, 

 Randall's Park, near Leatherhead, WlLLIAM HoGAN. 



5th January, 1823. 



