JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 8, 1882. ] 
463 
to a depth of several inches and placed in a heap, as 
it can he far more profitably employed on the beds than 
under them. The excavations so formed can be filled 
with rubble, thus providing dry foundations for the 
beds. 
SIZE OF THE BEDS. 
The size of beds or ridges for the culture of Mush¬ 
rooms in the open air should, as before mentioned, be 
2£ feet wide at the base, about 6 inches wide at the 
top, and 2£ feet high. At the angle thus formed soil will 
adhere to the sides firmly, while a great portion of rain 
will pass off freely, especially if the top is slightly 
rounded, as it should be, not quite flat. If the angle 
were less acute the beds might be saturated during 
heavy falls of rain; but this does not occur when 
properly made of the form described, well cased with 
soil, and, if needed, protected with canvas or other suit¬ 
able coverings over the straw. When this method of 
Mushroom culture is adopted such covers should be in 
readiness, as they will be especially needed in districts 
where the rainfall is heavy, and they are also of great 
service for conserving the heat of the beds during severe 
weather. Beds of the form indicated also possess 
another enormous advantage, especially near towns 
where land is scarce and consequently dear—viz., they 
just double the cultivable surface of the ground, for 
while the width of the ground actually covered with 
manure is only 2^ feet, the two sloping sides of each 
bed of the height named obviously present a surface of 
5 feet; or to show the increase of surface more fully, 
suppose an acre is occupied with beds of an aggregate 
length of 1936 yards and of the width stated, they 
would only cover 1613 square yards, while at the same 
time they afford a surface for Mushroom-production of 
3226 yards without including the 6-inch space at the 
top of the beds. Tlius we have an exception to the old 
axiom relative to the “ increase of the population while 
the land remains stationary.” It is certainly not 
“stationary” when devoted to this system of Mush¬ 
room culture, for, instead of the normal surface per 
acre of 4840 yards, we produce and utilise a surface 
of 5243 square yards. It is owing to this fact in a great 
measure that the value of an acre of Mushrooms 
becomes so extraordinary. 
It is not suggested that good crops of Mushrooms 
cannot be had from larger beds than above indicated. 
Great quantities are grown on beds ranging from 8 to 
4 feet wide at the base and correspondingly high; but 
beyond all doubt beds of the first-named dimensions 
properly made of suitable material contain all the 
essentials for an abundant supply of Mushrooms ; and 
when manure has to be purchased these comparatively 
small ridges have been proved to be the more eco¬ 
nomical and profitable. If the manure is of inferior 
quality and not of a nature to produce and retain much 
heat, then larger beds are advisable, but with good 
manure properly prepared the ridges above recom¬ 
mended are sufficiently large for producing heavy crops 
of Mushrooms during the winter near London. In the 
north, and especially when manure is abundant, larger 
beds may be advisable ; indeed they are employed with 
remarkable success at Burghley. The size of the 
ridges for certain positions and under varying condi¬ 
tions can soon be determined by those who earnestly 
attempt this, the simplest and best of all methods of 
Mushroom culture. But whatever the size of the beds 
may be, let the sides be as steep as possible, firm and 
smooth. It is by making the ridges too flat and loose, 
admitting the rain, that many failures have occurred, 
and thus a system has been condemned when the 
operators and not the system have been really at fault. 
MAKING THE BEDS. 
In building a bed for the first time the workman 
would probably find a few guide sticks useful. If he 
has two a yard long each, inserts them 2^ feet apart and 
just 6 inches deep, draws the tops within 6 inches of 
each other, he has an outline section of the bed. A 
few sticks thus arranged at intervals would form a sure 
guide. He would, however, quickly learn to dispense 
with them, and only need a line stretched along one 
side to work by, the manure being wheeled on the 
other, which is made straight without difficulty, the 
eye being the sole guide, as a line, as will be apparent, 
could not be kept clear. The work of building should 
be done quickly, yet well, the material being thoroughly 
shaken out during the process and pressed together 
Fig. 91.—Mushroom bed. 
very firmly. In addition to its being heavily beaten 
with forks it should also be trodden down at the least 
twice, once when a depth of about 18 inches has been 
packed together, and again when the ridge is 3 feet 
high; this will bring it down to 2 feet, the remaining 
6 inches being made firm with the fork. The sides 
must be also beaten quite firm, and then dressed or 
combed down. When finished they will resemble a 
closely thatched roof in miniature, and like the roof 
will throw off the rain. This is important, and the 
necessity is now seen for having a good proportion of 
decayed straw; beds made wholly of the orthodox horse 
droppings would inevitably be saturated and spoiled. • 
A bed made as described is, when finished, a work 
of art, at least so a good workman would regard it. 
An example is represented in fig. 91 of a well-made 
bed, which, as will be seen, is perfectly straight and 
clear in outline. Such a ridge made quite firm, indeed 
almost hard, is practically impervious to wet, and when 
well cased with soil and covered with litter is capable of 
retaining sufficient heat for the growth of the myce¬ 
lium and the support of a heavy crop of Mushrooms. 
The bed is shown with lumps of spawn inserted and 
partly cased with soil. 
To prevent the bed heating too violently and drying 
