191 1.] Mushroom Cultivation in France. 665 



the hens in 100 and 150 bird flocks and allowing as little as 

 3*2 square feet per bird. The reason for this was, presumably, 

 that where the flocks were crowded the birds benefited from 

 their animal heat during the winter months. On the other 

 hand, during the summer the hens suffered greatly from the 

 heat owing to their crowded condition. 



Mushroom cultivation is carried on in France in the suburbs 

 of certain large towns, such as Paris and Bordeaux, old 

 abandoned quarries of building stone, 



large, and is sufficient to supply nearly the whole of the local 

 demand of that city, while a substantial export trade also 

 exists, especially to London. It is estimated that the culti- 

 vation in the outskirts of Paris gives employment to 1,500 

 workers, and the daily production during the summer is 

 500 cwt. of mushrooms. 



In Loir-et-Cher the annual production reaches 10,000 cwt., 

 the price being 30s. to 45s. per cwt. The cultivation is also 

 of importance in Garonne and Gironde, where in 1880 as 

 many as 5,000 workers were employed, although in this district 

 the industry has recently not been so successful. The present 

 annual production is some 16,800 cwt., from 113 quarries, 

 and the price in Bordeaux is 40s. per cwt. 



The cultivation of mushrooms in France tends at the present 

 time to increase, chiefly on account of the gradual rise in the 

 price of mushrooms which has occurred in the last ten years. 

 The total annual production is estimated by the syndicates qf 

 French mushroom cultivators at 128,000 cwt., valued at 

 ^320,000. The expenses of cultivation are mainly in respect 

 of manures and labour. Horse dung is the only manure 

 recommended, and should be strawy and of good quality. 

 Peat moss litter does not give satisfactory results. Manure of 

 good quality is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, and 



Mushroom 

 Cultivation in 

 France.* 



chalk, or plaster being commonly 

 utilised for the purpose. The produc- 

 tion in the suburbs of Paris is very 



Bulletin Mensuel de P Office des Renseignements Agricoles, June, 191 1. 



Z Z 



