MUSHROOM SPAWH. 
91 
thoroughly, and if exposed to the sun for two or three 
days they will be ready to receive the spawn. In intro¬ 
ducing the spawn two holes large enough to admit a 
piece of spawn as big as a pigeon’s egg should be cut in 
each brick at equal distances. This should be well 
beaten in and the surface made even with a little ma¬ 
nure. The bricks should then be collected together in 
a heap and covered with enough short manure to cause 
a gentle heat, being careful that there is no rank heat or 
steam to kill the spawn. This must be carefully at¬ 
tended to until the spawn is found to have penetrated 
through the whole of the bricks, after which they should 
be stacked away in any convenient dry place.” 
HOW TO MAKE FREHCH (flake) SPAWtf. 
I can not do better than to let a practical Frenchman 
engaged in the business tell this story. In Yol. XIII of 
the London harden I find an English translation of 
M. Lachaume’s book, “The Cave Mushroom,” and this 
comment by the editor : “The most complete account 
of the cave culture of mushrooms which has been pub¬ 
lished by any cultivator on the spot well acquainted 
with the subject is that recently published by M. 
Lachaume.” 
Lachaume says : “The best spawn to use is what is 
called ‘virgin spawn’; that is to say, which has not yet 
produced mushrooms. In this country this kind of 
spawn may be procured of any respectable nurseryman, 
under the name of ‘French spawn.’ It differs from 
English spawn by being in the form of small tufty cakes, 
instead of in compact blocks. Large mushroom grow¬ 
ers, however, always provide themselves with their own 
spawn by taking it from a bed which is just about to 
produce its crop, or which has already produced a few 
small mushrooms. ... It is true that by thus 
* breeding in and in,’ as it were, the mushrooms show a 
