160 
THB QARDENINQ WORLD\ 
February 20, 1904. 
of cattle, sheep, and deer, so that this must be held account¬ 
able for keeping the natural growth of Firs within, bounds. 
Wherever young - trees happen to be growing that are not pro¬ 
tected in some way or other they are almost certain to come 
by some mishap, often even at the hands of gipsies and other 
nomadic people who cut them down, to make fires. 
It. isi certain also that all those parts of the country that 
are given over to agriculture would offer no foothold to the 
Pine, iso that all the good land in lowland districts is probably 
debarred front the growth of Pines. That being the case, it 
is confined to areas that are not only barren by nature, but 
very much exposed to all the winds that blow. 
It takes well to the sandy districts in England, and when 
planted on that geological formation no other tree thrives 
better. Cones are produced freely and seedlings come up in 
abundance in all suitable and unsuitable situations, and if it 
were not for the restraining hand of man we have little' donbt 
that the Pine tree would extend its area over a greater part 
of the country if left to its own resources. 
What applies to the Scotch Fir also' applies to many other 
arboreal trees. Outside of planted woods they have 1 no< chance 
of extending or even existence except as stray trees in hedge®, 
because if they succeed in establishing themselves they get, 
cut down as soon as they become too- large to bo. conveniently 
accommodated without interfering with agricultural labour or 
the traffic on the roadways. 
A Hardy Bamboo. 
Phyllostachys viridi-glaucescens. 
(See Supplement .) 
All of the Bamboos which are hardy in this country belong 
to three genera—namely, Arundinaria,, JBambusa,, and Phyllos- 
tachys, the difference between them being one of botanical 
character relating chiefly to the inflorescence. They are also 
distinguishable more or less by the stems and leaves., but. par¬ 
ticularly the species of Phyllostachys, which drop the sheaths 
from the primary stems, leaving the latter bare, and polished. 
These stems are more or less: ornamental in themselves, in being 
either green., yellow, or black, sometime® of other colours. 
The plant under notice has pale green or sometimes yellowish 
stems. 
Our supplement this week represents; the first Bamboo pro¬ 
bably that was planted in the. open air at Kew in order to 
test its hardiness. Ini any case, it. formed and still forms a. 
large specimen near the ruined arch and the North Gallery in, 
the gardens, where it, was sheltered at two or three sides by 
trees. Many years agoi it- was a, splendid specimen, not much 
smaller than it now appears. The specimens in the Bamboo 
garden were obtained as suckers from this one, so that it 
might be regarded as the pioneer of the collection of hardy 
Bamboos in the garden. 
The stems attain a height, of 10 ft. to 14 ft,., but a,s there 
is a tendency to arch over in a, graceful manner, the spread 
of the bush is: much greater than its height. For that, very 
reason we do not see a, thicket of stems', but an immense semi- 
globular mass of grassy vegetation of the most graceful char¬ 
acter. It is indeed a grass in the truest sense of the term, and 
it, would be correct, to regard, it as a, shrubby or woody-stemmed 
grass. The primary stems are furnished with ascending or 
drooping twigs in clusters arranged at the rather distant nodes. 
Thei lanceolate finger-likei leaves, are 3 in. to 7 in,, in length, 
light green above and glaucous beneath, so, that a mass of 
these has a very pleasing and sub-tropical effect. 
The age of this specimen is, already such that, it must have 
experienced the worst of our winters at Kew for many years. 
It may be set down therefore as one of the hardiest ; but it 
must be borne in, mind that Bamboos are liable to suffer more 
from the wind lashing them about than, from the actual degree 
of cold. Intending planters should therefore select, places 
where they will be sheltered, on those quarters at least from 
which the prevailing winds come, so as to, prevent, injury to the 
foliage both in the summer and winter. It, is, perfectly ever¬ 
green, and in a suitable situation is one- of the most handsome 
objects during the winter season when most of our trees and 
shrubs are bare of leaves. 
The Mushroom. 
Agaricus campestris is one of the more delicate dishes of 
the garden, and to be successful in growing it requires a good 
knowledge of the plant itself, its, habits and requirements. 
Unlike most of our garden crops the Mushroom grows en¬ 
tirely in the dark, and, to the beginner, under curious circum¬ 
stances ; they grow and fruit in decaying matter, in cultivation 
the medium used for their culture being horse manure. This 
seems to suit them admirably for many reasons; it is loose 
enough for the mycelium or vegetative part of the plant to 
permeate all through it, and it also keeps up a warmth for a 
considerable period which is suitable to, the growth of the 
Mushroom. 
The first, thing to, be looked to, in their cultivation is the 
preparation of the manure, and this must be done carefully, or 
failure is sure to follow. Tire, manure should be got from 
stables where, if possible, you know how the horses are fed, 
and if any of them have been getting medicine the manure 
should not be mixed with the rest for Mushroom culture, and 
it must, be kept absolutely clear of rubbish of any kind. 
The rough straw should be separated and taken away from 
it, and the rest carefully mixed and spread out not more than 
2| ft. deep, and this should be turned every day to keep it 
uniformly hot, and not to, allow one part to get burned while 
another part is cold. 
Turning should be repeated until it is in a, condition fit to be 
put up in the' bed ; this condition can only be found out by 
experience, hut a good guide is,, when you lift a, handful of it 
and give it a press in the hand, then open it again, and the 
manure falls to pieces, but does not. stick in a ball. When 
satisfied that it is right, which may be from a week to a. fort¬ 
night after separating the straw from it, take it,"’in and make 
up the bed, which should be from 18 in. to 2 ft. in depth and 
about 3 ft. broad. The manure must be trampled and beaten 
thoroughly firm, so, a,s to preserve a. moderate heat for a con¬ 
siderable period ; when in a thermometer should be buried to 
a depth of 3 in. below the surface to indicate the temperature : 
it will rise for a time after being put in. 
Spawning is clone after the' temperature has risen to its 
highest point, and then fallen again to 9.0 deg. Fahr. It, may 
rise to, 110 deg. or 120 deg - , even, but, on no account spawn 
before it has receded to, 90 deg. Fahr., at which it, is safe 
to, spawn. This is done by breaking up the bricks into six 
pieces, and inserting the pieces about 2 in. below the surface 
at from 6 in. to 8 in. apart, and then covering the whole surface 
over with about 2 in. of good loamy soil, and clapped firmly 
all over with the back of a, spade, and then again covered 
over with clean straw to keep the, heat in the bed. 
After this the management of the Mushroom house is very 
easy. Keep the house at a temperature of about 50 deg. to 
55 deg. Fahr., but do not use any more artificial heat, than 
is absolutely necessary, and keep it always moderately moist, as 
a dry atmosphere is very injurious to the, Mushroom. 
When, picking the Mushroom should he caught by the top 
and broken off, but, care must be taken not to> break away any 
of the small ones, which are growing round the base of the 
stem, and cut off the stem just below the ring which is always 
found on it. 
For outside culture the Mushroom is best grown on ridges, 
which should be 3 ft,, broad at the base, 3 ft. high, and taper¬ 
ing to the, top, which, however, should be rounded, not pointed. 
The manure should be, prepared as for inside culture, and in 
making up the bed it, should be trampled firm also, and after : 
spawning in the usual way, and covering over with about 2 in. 
of adhesive loam, cover right over with a, good covering of 
rough stable litter. W. Good, F.B.H.S. 
