194 THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. [chap. vi. 
found, on trying it by plunging a stick in, to 
be not too hot, the bricks of spawn should be 
broken into pieces about an inch and a half 
or two inches square, and strewed regularly ' 
over the bed, each piece of spawn being 
buried by raising up a little of the dung and 
inserting it. After this the surface of the 
bed is beaten flat with a spade, and the whole 
is covered with mould, that of a loamy nature 
being preferred. The whole is then beaten 
quite smooth, and covered about a foot thick 
with oat straw, on which are laid mats. In 
about a month or six weeks the mushrooms 
will be ready for the table; and when 
gathered they should be gently twisted up 
bv the roots, and not cut off, as the root, if 
left in the ground, will decay, and be injurious 
to the young plants. 
