11 



veined occasionally with white ; free bloomer, good. 



Prairie de Terre Nois is a dark purple-crimson, del- 

 icately veined ; large, double, and a free bloomer ; 

 the flower finely cupped ; it makes a good standard. 



There are many fine new Roses equal, probably, to 

 most of the foregoing, but in making a selection I 

 consulted my own taste, — no easy matter, — out of 

 some five hundred varieties. 



MUSHROOM GROWING. 



BY C. N., NEWARK, i^. J. 



Having seen some observations in the Gardener s 

 Monthly about growing Mushrooms, I will give the 

 practice of Richard Miller on the subject. The cul- 

 tivation of Mushrooms is a process more peculiar than 

 any in gardening, in this, that while in the cultivation 

 of other vegetables gardeners sow or plant some- 

 thing they see or handle, in the cultivation of Mush- 

 rooms they neither see nor handle anything. 



Yet that Mushrooms can be made to grow arti- 

 ficially at any season of the year is a well known 

 fact, and that the droppings of hard-fed horses will 

 produ -e Mushrooms plentifully. The droppings of 

 horses fed on green food of any kind are of no use 

 for the purpose. 



Beds built in the common way and spawned pro- 

 duce Mushrooms only for a few weeks or months — 

 the way here recommended will produce them for 

 twelve months or longer. The process is more sure, 

 and the time of reaping may be reckoned with cer- 

 tainty to be in about ten or twelve weeks. But 

 Mushroom beds, in whatever way made, are sub- 

 ject to many misfortunes, — as the spawn is so deli- 

 cate that it is easily destroyed by too much water 

 or drought. 



To make the bed, proceed thus: — Suppose it to 

 be made in a cellar, (no matter how dark) where the 

 temperature can be kept at 55°. Lay a foundation 

 of coal ashes three inches thick, to prevent under- 

 dampness, and board all around the bed to the 

 height of ten inches or so — four feet broad is a con- 

 venient breadth. Make the bed any length required; 

 then commence collecting the material. Seta ham- 

 per in the stable so that the stable boys can deposit 

 the horse droppings in it every morning as whole as 

 possible. Have a shed open in front to the sun ; 

 deposit the droppings every morning in it, and dry 

 them well ; for if ever they get hot in drying, or 

 after the bed is made up, all the labor is lost. — 

 Whenever you have droppings enough dried to cover 

 the bed six inches deep lay them on as whole as pos- 

 sible ; then cover the bed to the thickness of two 

 inches with light, dry earth ; lay another course of 



droppings and earth over as above ; then a third 

 course in like manner, and earth over four inches 

 deep: — this finishes the bed. 



Let it remain ten or twelve weeks. At that period 

 thrust in your hand a few inches deep and examine 

 what is brought forth. If it smells like Mushrooms, 

 with small bits like thread visible, the spawn has 

 begun to run. Grenerally you will be forewarned of 

 the spawn's running by a previous crop of spurious 

 fungi. 



When you have thus ascertained that the spawn 

 is fully formed, give the bed two or three water- 

 ings, in order to set it growing, (but by no means at 

 once,) as will reaching the bottom of the material ; 

 afterwards keep the bed neither wet nor dry, but 

 rather incline to the latter. When the bed, as it 

 were, is tired of producing, let it remain for a few 

 months without watering, when often a new set of 

 spawn will begin to run, and, by giving a hearty 

 watering, as above recommended, a most plentiful 

 and lasting supply will often be obtained. 



In gathering Mushrooms they should always be 

 cut, and never pulled, as there is always a cluster of 

 young around the old ones. 



The above process surpasses all other modes in 

 growing Mushrooms, to which I can certify. 



[An excellent, practical article, for which we are 

 very much obliged. — Ed. [ 



MISCELLANEOUS SKETCHES. 



PROPAGATION OF THE ROSE. 



BY ORCHIS. 



At the present time, when the Rose is receiving 

 so much attention, this subject should be one of the 

 deepest interest to the gardener, as well as the 

 planter ; as, by a proper application of ideas with 

 a view to their ultimate usefulness, the plants will 

 be increased in vigor. Or, in other words, accord- 

 ing to the treatment received when young, so will 

 their mature development be affected. 



To the gardener it is, perhaps, of the greatest 

 importance, as every intelligent and conscientious 

 grower desires to produce strong, healthy plants, 

 that will give entire satisfaction to the purchaser, 

 as well as prove more remunerative to himself. To 

 the planter it is also a matter of considerable mo- 

 ment, as the Rose, like the Grape, is hable to lose 

 much of its constitutional vigor by an erroneous 

 course of reproduction. 



In the present article, the writer desires to call 

 the attention of his readers to the various methods 

 of propagation, and the influence exerted on the 

 mature plant by each. The more tender Roses, 



