MAKING UP THE MUSHROOM BEDS. 
77 
oyer rather freely with urine from the barnyard, then 
forking the surface oyer two or three inches deep and 
afterward compacting it slightly with the back of the 
fork. Spread a layer of hay, straw, or strawy stable 
litter a few inches deep oyer the bed till the heat rises. 
If the manure had been moist enough this sprinkling 
should not be resorted to, but the fresh droppings 
added instead. When it is applied, however, great care 
should be taken to prevent overheating; a lessening or 
entire removal of the strawy covering, and again firmly 
compacting the surface of the bed will reduce the tem¬ 
perature. Some saltpeter, or nitrate of soda, an ounce 
to three gallons of liquid, will encourage the spread of 
the mycelium after the spawn is inserted; a much 
stronger solution of these salts can now be used than 
would be safe to apply after the mycelium is running in 
the bed. 
When loam and manure mixed together comprise the 
materials of which the bed is made, the temperature is 
not likely to rise so high as when manure alone is used, 
but this matters not so long as the materials of which 
the bed is composed are sweet and fresh and not over¬ 
moist. But if the materials are cold and stale treat as 
recommended for a manure bed, always bearing in mind 
that it is better to have a cold bed that is fairly dry dian 
one that is wet, or, indeed, a warm one that is wet. 
Mr. Withington, of South Amboy, has a good word to 
say for beds of a low temperature. He writes me: 
“ Our beds kept in good bearing two months, though 
they have borne in a desultory way a month longer. 
Our best bed this season was one that was kept at an 
even temperature. The manure never rose above 75° 
when made up, and decreased to about 60° soon after 
spawning. Kept the house at 55°. ” 
