474 



MTJSHHOOM 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 



