EARTHING OYER THE BEDS. 
105 
against molding over mushroom beds as soon as they 
are spawned by telling us that in his first attempt at 
mushroom-growing he had labored for two years without 
being able to produce a single mushroom, and all be¬ 
cause he molded over his beds with a two-inch casing of 
loam just as soon as he had spawned them. Then he 
changed his tactics, and did not mold over the beds 
until the tenth or twelfth day after spawning, and w r as 
rewarded with good crops of mushrooms. Now, not¬ 
withstanding Mr. Henderson’s experience, it is a fact 
that many excellent growers spawn and mold their beds 
the same day, and with success. But Mr. H. has done 
much good in displaying a rock against which many 
might be wrecked, so much depends upon other cultural 
conditions. The old practice of inserting the spawn 
three or more inches deep into the manure bed and then 
molding it at once with two inches deep of loam was 
enough to destroy the most potent spawn ; nowadays we 
barely cover the spawn with the manure, and this is 
how molding over at once is so successful. 
All the preparation necessary is to have the loam in 
medium dry, mellow condition, well broken up with the 
spade or digging fork, and freed from sticks, stones, big 
roots, clods, chunks of old manure, and the like. 
Sifting the soil for casing the beds is labor lost. 
Sifted soil has no advantage over unsifted earth, except 
when it is to be used for topdressing the bearing beds or 
filling up the holes in their surface. 
The condition of the soil should be mellow but inclined 
to moist. If wet it can only be used clumsily and spread 
with difficulty; if dry it can be spread easily but not 
made firm, and on ridge beds can not be put on evenly. 
But when moderately moist it can be spread easily and 
evenly on flat or rounded surfaces, and made firm and 
smooth. 
How deep the mold shall be put upon the bed is also 
