Jan."] 



THE FORCING GARDEN. 



647 



betwixt the flues, two inches wide, to admit the heat into 

 the house from the sides of the flues. The middle cavity {x y) 

 should be covered with tiles, leaving a space of one inch be- 

 twixt each tile for the admission of the heat. The top of the 

 flues, including the covering, should not be higher than the 

 top of the brick walls that form the front of the floor-beds. 

 The reason why the sides of the flues are recommended to be 

 built stronger than usual is, because they support the walk. 

 The walk itself is formed by three rows of tiles, the outside 

 rows making the covering of the flues, and those of the centre 

 one covering the middle cavity (j:, ij) as above-mentioned. The 

 outside cavities of the flue are left open, the tiles which 

 we placed over the flues being laid so as not to cover these 

 cavities, which allow the heat of the sides of the flues to 

 ascend." 



The house being constructed, the beds are to be made in 

 the following manner : — 



At any season of the year " collect a quantity of fresh horse- 

 dung, that has not been exposed to wet or fermentation, clear 

 it of long straw, so as to leave one-fourth in quantity of the 

 shortest litter, when incorporated with the horse-droppings ; 

 then add a fourth part of tolerably dry turf-mould, or rather 

 maiden earth, and mix it well with the dung before mentioned ; 

 the advantage derived from mould, or maiden earth, is the 

 union of the whole into one compact solid substance, so con- 

 genial to the gi'owth of mushrooms. If dung, from the rides 

 of a livery stable, or the round of a horse-mill can be pro- 

 cured, and mixed with a fourth part of short litter, and added 

 to as many horse-droppings as \\\\\ cause a gentle warmth 

 when made into beds, it will be found superior for the produc- 

 tion of mushrooms to horse-dung that is gathered from the 

 stables." This being procured in some quantity, proceed to 

 make up the beds in the following manner : " Form the beds 

 on the shelves and ground-floor, by placing a layer, about 

 tliree inches thick, of the prepared mixture, then with a flat 

 mallet beat it as closely together as possible ; next add another 

 layer of the compost, repeating the same process as before, 

 and so until the beds be formed into a solid body seven 

 inches thick, making the surface ot the beds as smooth and as 



