486 



MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



a tub. Holes are made in tlie bottom of eacb^ and a 

 tbin layer of good soil is spread over tbem inside. Tbey 

 are tben filled witb good well prepared stable mannre,, jnst 

 like tliat nsed in tbe case of ordinary Musbroom beds, 

 tbe different layers of dnng in eacb tub being well pressed 

 down. "WTien tbe tub is balf full,, six or seven good pieces of 

 spawn are placed on tbe surface^ and tbe remainder is piled 

 up witb manure, wliicb is well pressed down^ tbe operation 

 being completed by gi^dng to tbe beap tbe form of a dome. 

 Tbe tubs tbus prepared are placed in a perfectly dark part 

 of a cellar, and eigbt or ten days afterwards tbe dung 

 is taken up until tbe spawn is visible, in order to see 



wbetber it bas com- 

 menced to vegetate 

 and develope little fila- 

 ments. If tbe spawn 

 bas struck, tbe surface 

 must be covered witb 

 soil, care being taken 

 to use only tbat wbicb 

 is fresb and properly 

 prepared. Tbe ne- 



MushroomsgmvninbottomTfoldCask. ^^ssity of proCUl'ing 



good Musbroom 

 spawn cannot be too strongly insisted upon, tbis being 

 tbe indispensable condition for arriving at a good re- 

 sult. An excellent kind is sometimes met witb tbat bas 

 been formed spontaneously in some old dungbeap, wbicb 

 is called virgin spawn. Wben tbis cannot be procui'ed, 

 excellent spawn may be formed in tbe following manner : — 

 A little bed of stable manure is prepared, eitber in a 

 cellar or in tbe open air^ and sown witb good ordinary 

 Musbroom spawn, tbe proper amount of care already 

 described being bestowed' upon it. As soon as tbe Mush- 

 rooms appear on tbe siu^face of tbe bed tbe spawn remaining 

 must be speedily removed and placed in a dry, aiiy situation. 

 Tbe spawn tbus prepared can be preserved for two or tbree or 

 even four years. Specimens bave been kept as long as four- 

 teen years, from wbicb excellent results bave been obtained."" 



