480 



MUSHROOM CULTURE. 



short intervals^ and the floor of all is covered with Mushroom 

 hedsj sometimes running along the passages^ sometimes across 

 them. These beds are about twenty-two inches high and 

 as much in diameter^ and are covered with silver sand and 

 a sort of white putty-like clay in about equal proportions. 

 In some parts of the cave the work of ripping out the stone 

 by powder and simple machinery continually goes on. The 

 arches follow the veining of the stone_, so to speak ; their lower 

 parts are of hard stone^ the upper ones of soft^ except the 

 very top, which is again hard. There is but a slight crust 

 of stone above the apex of each arch_, and above that the 

 earth and trees. Running along in parallel lines,, and dis- 



FiG. 284. 



Section following tlie line C, D, in Fig. 283. 



appearing from view in the darkness, one knows not what to 

 compare them to, unless it be to barked Pine trees in the 

 hold of a ship. 



Everywhere on the surface of these little beds small 

 Mushrooms were peering forth in quantity ; as the beds are 

 regularly gathered from every day, no very large ones are 

 seen. They are preferred at about the size of a chestnut, 

 and are removed root and branch, a small portion of finely 

 sifted earth being placed in each hole, so as to level the bed 

 as in the caves at Montrouge. If the old superstition that 

 a Mushroom never grows after being seen by human eyes 

 were true, the trade of a Champignonniste would never answer 

 here, as the little budding individuals come within view 



