Tlin: FORCING GARDEN. 



651 



three or four inches thick, mixing it a Uttle with the old, and 

 beat it as before. By adhering to this mode of renovating the 

 old beds, a continual supply may be kept up." 



It must be acknowledged that mushrooms produced in this 

 way are far inferior in flavor and juicyness to such as are 

 produced upon beds in the ordinary way, and which is fully 

 described in the Culinary Garden; still the above method 

 possesses one decided advantage over the other methods of 

 cultivating this precarious vegetable, which is, that they are 

 produced with much less trouble and expense in winter, and 

 with much more certainty. Mushrooms are invariably found 

 to be finer flavored, more juicy, and heavier, when cultivated 

 upon beds of considerable depth. Hence it would appear that 

 they require nourishment, to a considerable extent, and that 

 nourishment seems to be derived from the quantity of proper 

 materials with which the beds are composed. Where there is 

 a greater body of matter contained in the beds constructed as 

 above, the mushrooms are found to increase in size, therefore 

 it becomes obvious that, instead of the beds being only seven 

 or eight inches deep, if they be from a foot to fifteen inches, 

 the crop would be benefited thereby. In making them up to 

 this thickness, great carG ought to be taken to prevent any 

 unnecessary fermentation. The droppings should be partially 

 dried before using, and the heat allowed to exhaust itself nearly 

 in one course of compost, before another is laid upon it. As 

 the pro^x^r degree of temperature and solidity is of the utmost 

 importance, beds made of the above thickness will retain their 

 temperature longer, and will be less subject to the changes of 

 moisture to which the German l)cds are liable, owing to their 

 want of sufficient thickness. We have, however, thought it 

 advisable to make the above long extract from the llort. Trans, 

 as being the ground plan of the most regular method of culti- 

 vating mushrooms yet published. The success of the plan, 

 under the management of the intelligent individual who intro- 

 duced it, we have frequently witnessed, as well as practised 

 ourselves ; but have always found' that an increase of body in 

 the beds was attended with the most success, and less attention 

 required after the fcrmcntath)n had subsided. 



