474 



MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



sageS; and wherever tlie rocky subway became as wide as a 

 small bedroom two or three little beds were placed parallel 

 to each other. These beds were new^ and dotted all over 

 with Mushrooms no bigger than Sweet Pea seeds_, and 

 affording an excellent prospect of a crop. Be it observed 

 that these beds contain a much smaller body of manure 

 than is ever the case in our gardens. They are not more 

 than twenty inches high_, and about the same width at the 

 base ; while those against the sides of the passages are not 

 so large as those shaped like little Potato pits_, and placed in 

 the open spaces. The soil with which they are covered to the 

 depth of about an inch is nearly white_, and is simply sifted 

 from the rubbish of the stone-cutters above^ giving the 

 recently made bed the appearance of being covered with 

 putty. 



Although we are from seventy to eighty feet below the 

 surface of the ground everything looks very neat — in fact_, 

 very much more so than could have been expected^ not 

 a particle of litter being met with. A certain length of 

 bed is made every day in the year_, and as they naturally 

 finish one gallery or series of galleries at a time^ the beds 

 in each have a similar character. As we proceed to those 

 in full bearing_, creeping up and down narrow passages_, 

 winding always between the two little narrow beds against 

 the wall on each side^ and passing now and then through 

 wider nooks filled with two or three little beds, day- 

 light is again seen^ this time coming through another 

 well-like shaft_, formerly used for getting up the stone, but 

 now for throwing down the requisite materials into the 

 cave. At the bottom lies a large heap of the white earth 

 before alluded to, and a barrel of water — for gentle water- 

 ings are required in the quiet, cool, black stillness of these 

 caves, as well as in Mushroom-houses on the upper crust. 



Once more we plunge into a passage as dark as ink, and 

 find ourselves between two lines of beds in full bearing, 

 the beautiful white button-like Mushrooms appearing every- 

 where in profusion along the sides of the diminutive beds, 

 something like the drills which farmers make for green 

 crops. As the proprietor goes along he removes sundry 



