122 
REVIEW. 
hay and oats only, and which droppings must be well dried previ¬ 
ously to being used : this layer is to be tramped, and the spawn, in 
lumps about the size of a goose-egg, is to be placed one lump in 
each area of six inches, and covered with about three inches of fresh 
loam from a pasture, and beaten down well with the back of the 
spade. Dry bay is to be placed upon the surface of the bed, and air 
admitted in fine weather. The layer of droppings soon becomes a 
continuous mass of spawn ; and the quantity of mushrooms produced 
throughout the winter and spring, is truly astonishing. Water will 
be required occasionally, particularly as the days begin to get warm 
in spring. Towards the beginning of May, when the pits are re¬ 
quired for other purposes, abundant spawn may be preserved for fu¬ 
ture operation. 
Culture of the Potatoe Onion.— Fresh manure is highly 
injurious to every kind of bulbous root: a sandy soil, with a well 
drained bottom, is the best; but any good ground will answer that is 
free from springs near the surface. The ground should be dug and 
well broken to the depth of two feet, if possible, and a compost spread 
four inches deep on the surface, composed of the following materials: 
Well rotted cow-dung. one fifth, or equal parts. 
Grey sand—if shelly, so much the better one fifth, ditto. 
Turf mould . one fifth, ditto. 
Good sound fresh earth. one fifth, ditto. 
Coal ashes. one fifth, ditto. 
The bulbs should be laid in rows fourteen to sixteen inches apart, 
and six or seven inches from one to another in the row ; they should 
be barely covered with the hoe in the first instance, as they must 
have time to strike and swell before they are encumbered with a 
weight of earth. Plant the bulbs in September, October, November, 
and December, and cover them gradually until a mound is raised 
about six inches high, and four or five inches broad at the base, ac¬ 
cording to the size. In the month of May, or perhaps in April, the 
onions may be again uncovered and exposed to the sun, and remain 
uncovered until they are ripe. This practice accelerates their arrival 
at maturity, and greatly diminishes the trouble in saving them. In 
taking up the onions great care is required not to separate the small 
bulbs which grow in clusters on the tops of the large ones; these 
might be removed a few weeks before you dig out the large bulbs. 
They should be planted again in masses, taking care to remove anv 
of them that may have become soft or decayed ; in this wav they 
nourish and assist each other; but if by any accident the clusters 
should be broken, they may be planted separately. 
