June 1, 1907 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Mushrooms arc so easily grown that . 
anyone possessing a cellar, shed, or 
outhouse, with a temperature of from 
48 to 55 degrees of heat, has just the 
conyenience for their growth. and can 
obtain a supply all the year round. 
-Obtain as much ‘short manure, straw 
and droppings from draught or other . 
horses fed on hard corn, etc., in about 
equal proportions — droppings, from 
horses that are fed on carrots, or where 
horse powders are frequently given, 
should on no account be used, as the 
result would be failure—(fresh from 
the stable, if to be had. but that is not 
absolutely necessary) as wil) make a 
bed 16 to 18. inches deep, and any 
requirod size; throw the same in a 
heap for a week to heat, and dispel the 
greater part of the moisture it. con- 
taias, teen spread it out fora day or 
two to dry and coel down, after which . 
again throw it up together for a few 
‘days — generally about five will be | 
found sufticient It will then be fit to 
inake the bed with, which, let the size - 
_ be what it may, should not be more 
than 18 inches deep. When making 
MUSHROOMS. 
up the beds a tenth part of nearly dry 
cow manure, if procurable, should be 
well mixed with it, as this hasa ten- 
dency to keep the beds longer in bear- 
ing, and, besides, gives the Mushrooms 
a much thicker and firmer flesh. 
In .making the bed, it should be 
trodden or beaten down as firmly as 
possible, that the heat may be the 
more lasting, aud not so liable to rise 
too high at first. As soon as the heat 
has risen and declined to 70 degrees, 
it is fit to spawn. Amateurs will do 
- well to observe this, as too high a. 
degree of heat destroys the vitality of 
the spawn, while a lower temperature 
is not sufficient to produce the vigour 
necessary for an abundant crop. It 
should be broken in pieces about the 
size of a walnut, and placed in the 
manure 2 inches deep, and about 6 to8 
inches apart every way. Then cover 
the surface of the bed 13 inches with a 
layer of loam (if possible) or good 
garden soil; and make it firm, and 
afterwards well pat with the back of a 
smooth spade dipped in water, the 
same day the bed is spawned. 
In acellar or outhouse in which an even temperature of 55 degrees can be secured, no covering of litter or any other 
~ material will be required : but, in cases where this convenience is not at command, litter must be used to effect the desired 
temperature, and will keep the surface of the bed in a state of moisture. 
The Mushrooms begin to appear in about 4 to 6 wevks after the bed is spawned, after the temperature above mentioned 
is maintained, 
Shoold the beds become very dry, they must be watered, but not saturated. 
and applied through a fine rose, and should never be given in great abundance. 
ture, which may be produced by occasionally syringing the walls, floors, etc. 
and chills. which often cause the embryo Mushrooms to damp off. 
The water should be lukewarm, 
But Mushrooms like a moist, fixed tempera- 
, Wherein the beds are made. Avoid cold draughts 
he When gathering the crop, do not cut the Mushrooms with a knife, but take them out by the root; this may be done by a 
twist of the thumb and finger, afterwards filling in the space made with a little loam.— Hackett’s Manuel.” J 
Mortlake School Experiments 
The following experiments are inter- 
esting to show how correct information 
can be obtained :— 
‘1, (A) Placed pulverized local rock in 
well-drained pot. (B) Placed pulverized 
local rock with some deeayed organic 
matter (rotted weeds) in another pot. 
Sowed bean in each. In (A) the plant 
died at the end of six weeks; in (B) the 
plant attained maturity and produced ten 
well-filled pods, ; 
Deduction, — (a) Local basaltic rock 
contains all plant food except organic 
matter. (B) Organic matter is necessary 
to soil in order that the soil organisms 
(bacteria) may assist plant. 
2. Placed equal weights of sand, and 
of clay mixed with sand, in two tins. 
Same weight of water added to each, tins 
were exposed to air for a week. The 
mixed clay and sand was found to be the 
heavier. 
Deduction. — Evaporation is greater 
from sand than from a mixture of sand 
and clay. 
3 The above experiment was performed - 
without the added water. The tins were 
exposed for one night, and were weighed: 
in the morning. Tho mixture was heavier 
‘than the sand alone. 
Deduction. -(A) Clay in soil assists its 
absorbing power. (B) Soils absorb mois- 
ture from air. 
4. Placed bean seeds with embryo up, 
on side, down; seeds with embryo down 
appeared first above the ground; seeds 
with embryo on side were next, 
5. Experiments with potatoes. Sets 
cut, some were placed with “ eyes” upward, 
others downward. In each case those with 
“ eyes” npward appeared above the ground 
from 5 to 14 days before the others. 
6 In March, planted potatoas at vary- 
ins depths, 3 inches, 5 inches, 8 inches, 
Those planted at 8 inches came up first. 
then those at 3 inches; many of those at 
5 inches failed altogether. 
The potatoes at 8 inches received benefit 
of dampuess conserved below. A slight 
shower imoisteucd surface 10 days after 
planting and helped the 8 inches potatoss. 
7. Placed an India-rubber tube over 
cut-off stem of balsam. Attached a glass 
tube ; poured small quantit} of water in 
tube. In 36 hours, sap had arisen in tubo 
8 inch. Showed effect of root pressure. 
8. Stripped off all leaves from hardwood 
plant, in some instances death followed. 
Stripped off all leaves from soft-wood plant 
—none died. : 
Deduction.—Hard-wood plants depend 
almost entirely on leaves for breathing 
and digesting food. In soft-wood plants 
this work is also porformad by the stems. 
9. Cut four kerosine tins into halves, 
two transversely, two longitudinally ; put 
same weight of soil in each; added to each 
same weight of water (stirring soil well). 
In Nos. 1 cut transversely and 2 cut 
longitudinally, the surfacs was stirred 
daily for 14 diys: in ths other tins the 
surface was not stirred. At end of time, 
No. 1 weighed the heaviest, No. 2 next. - 
Deduction. — Surfaca stirring breaks 
capillaries, and acts asa mulch, preventing 
evaporation. Deep cultivation tends to 
assist in Conserving moisture. 
10. Performed experiments with wheat, 
oats, barley, and mangolds. In every 
case, deep cnitivation gave results, varying 
froin 1} to 4 times the weight of material 
over shallow cultivation, 
11. Performed experiments with millets. 
Those in which the surface was stirred to 
a depth of 3 or 4 inches averaged 4 feet 
high, and those with no surface-stirring 
averaged 2% feet. 
12. Experimented with fertilizers. Crops 
all responded to the addition of phosphates 
but showed no improvement with potash. 
13, Cauliflowers and brocoli in July 
formed much larger heads when cincturing 
* was performed than in the case of those 
where the operation was not performed. 
Cincturing was done at the time the 
flower was just forming, 
