WATERING MUSHROOM BEDS. 
113 
from fresh horse droppings is the best, and the dark 
colored liquid, the drainings from manure piles, is the 
poorest; in fact, this latter is not as good as plain water, 
for it seems to have a deadening rather than quickening 
effect upon the beds. Cow manure and sheep manure 
make a good liquid manure, but still I prefer the horse 
manure, and although having given hen and pigeon 
manure and guano fair tests I am not satisfied that they 
have benefited the crop, and there is always a risk in 
their use. Liquid manure made from the contents of 
the barnyard tank has not done much good, but fresh 
urine from the horse and cow stables diluted twelve to 
fifteen times its bulk has given favorable results. 
Mushrooms not only bear with impunity but appear 
to enjoy a stronger liquid manure more than do any 
other cultivated plants, and I am satisfied that the weak 
liquids usually recommended for pot and garden plants 
would be barely more efficacious than plain water for 
mushrooms. 
The manure water that has given me most satisfaction 
is prepared as follows : Dump two bushels of fresh horse 
droppings into a forty-five gallon barrel and fill up with 
water; stir it up well and let it settle over night. Drain 
off the liquid the next day and aid a pound of saltpeter 
to it. For use, to a pailful of this liquid add a pailful 
of warm water. Water of about 80° to 90° is best for 
mushroom beds. Saltpeter is an excellent fertilizer for 
mushrooms. I use it in two ways, namely : First, pow¬ 
dered and mixed in the soil for casing the beds, at the 
rate of two ounces of saltpeter to the bushel of earth. 
Second, dissolved in water at the rate of two ounces of 
saltpeter to eight gallons of water, and sprinkled over 
the beds. 
Common salt I use as an insecticide and also as a fer¬ 
tilizer, and am satisfied that it proves beneficial in both 
ways. Sometimes I sprinkle it broadcast on the surface 
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