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once procured, may be extended or propagated as spawn, witliout producing mushrooms. (Net'U;
Abei-crombie.)
3359. Producing spawn. This vegetable maybe produced by first making lumps, or what are sometimes
called cakes of spawn, and afterwards placing them on a slight dung hotbed, where the spawn vegetates
into complete mushrooms ; in which process of making the spawn (as it is termed) diiFerent ingredients
are used, but chiefly the dung of horses, as said above. This has so far become a branch of trade, as that
inushroom-spawn may be had of most of the nurserymen and seedsmen about all the great towns in
th e kingdom.
33C0. Originating mushrooms without planting spawn. Nicol says, “ I have formerly been in the
practice of producing mushrooms, however, most successfully, without using spawn, and by a very simple
process : I might ra the r say, without transplanting spawn in the common way, but by making the bed a
whole mass of spawn at once, and never disturbing it till done bearing. Beds that are built in the common
way, and spawned, seldom produce long; perhaps only a few weeks or months. 1 have had them continue
to yield large crops th e year round, and sometimes for two years. But mushroom-beds, in whatever way
made, are subject to many misfortunes ; and the spawn is of a nature so delicate, th at it is quickly destroyed
either by too much wet or drought. By making up a bed in the ordinary way, that is, of stable-
dung, moderately fermented, to the thickness of about a yard ; spawning it over when the strong heat has
subsided, and then covering it with light earth, mushrooms may be obtained sooner than by the process
I shall recommend. But if this process be more slow, it has the advantage of being more sure ; and the
time of reaping may be reckoned upon with equal certainty. The difference of time, from first proceeding
to make the beds to gathering mushrooms, will generally be three or four weeks. By th e first
method, you may reap in six or eight weeks ; and by the latter, in ten or twelve.”
3361. Proceed thus : —“ After having laid a floor, as hinted as above, of ashes, stone chips, gravel, or
brick-bats, so as to keep the bed quite dry, and free from under-damp, lay a course of horse droppings
6 in. thick. These should be new from th e stable, and must not be broken ; and the drier the better.
They may be collected every day, until th e whole floor or sole be covered to the above thickness ; but
they must not be allowed to ferment or heat. In the whole process of making up, the bed should be as
much exposed to the air as possible ; and it should be carefully defended from wet, if out of doors.
When this course is quite dry, and Judged to be past a state of fermentation, cover it to the thickness
of 2 in. with light dry earth ; if sandy, so much the better. It is immaterial whether it be rich or
not ; the only use of earth here being for the spawn to ru n and mass in. Now lay another course of
droppings, and earth them over as above, when past a state of fermentation ; then a third course, which
in like manner earth over. This finishes the bed, which will be a very strong and productive one, if
properly m anaged afterwards. Observe, th at in forming the bed it should be a little rounded, in order
th a t the centre may not be more wet or moist than the sides. This may be done in forming th e sole or
floor a t first, and the bed would then be of equal strength in all parts. If it be made up against a wall in
a cellar, stable, or shed, it may have a slope of a few inches from the back to th e front, less or more, according
to its breadth. I have sometimes been contented with two courses, as above, instead of three ;
and often, when materials are scarce, have made them up slighter, thus: three4-inch courses of droppings,
with 1 in. of earth between each, and a 2-inch covering at top. Such a bed as this I have had produce
for ten or twelve months together ; but very much depends on th e state of the materials, and on the
care taken in making it up ; also on the after-management. The droppings of hard-fed horses only are
useful. Thoseof horses on green food will, of themselves, produce few or no mushrooms. This I have
proved in more than one instance, much to my disappointment ; and I have, moreover, found, th a t the
richer the keep of the horses, th e more productive are their droppings. 1 have made up beds from farm-
horses, fed partly on hard and partly on green food ; and from carriage or saddle horses, fed entirely on
corn and hay ; treated them in the same way in every respect ; and have found, not once, but always,
those made from th e la tte r most productive. Droppings from corn-fed horses may be procured a t the
public stables in towns, or a t inns in the country, any time in the year ; and if the supply be plentiful, a
bed o f considerable dimensions may be made and finished within five or six weeks. In as many more
weeks, if in a stable, or dry cellar, or a flued shed, it will begin to produce, and often sooner ; but if the
situation o fth e bed be cold, it will sometimes be two or three months of producing mushrooms.”
3362. Where indigenous spawn may be collected. September is the month in which th e mushroom
comes to perfection in th e open air ; and this is the time to look for it in its native habitats. Downs
and upland pastures are the primitive situations, whence the seeds seem to be carried by horses and
cattle, to what are called secondary situations. Thus “ it is found in strength and purity, in the path
of a bark-mill worked by a horse, or in any other horse-mill track under shelter, in covered rides for
horses, in dry half-rotted dungheaps, and in hotbeds. It is found in a less degree in various other
situations.” {Abercrombie.)
3363. M^Phail says, “ the best of mushroom-spawn is frequently to be found in dunghills which have
lain a long time without turning, and which had been formed of horse-dung, scrapings of roads, and
tu rf cut up about the sides of roads and commons. The heat of the summer months having dried the
dunghill, when rain comes about th e hitter end of August or in September, mushrooms of a good quality
may often be seen begmning to form themselves on th e surface, like large peas. When these are
observed, it is time to take out the spawn, which is generally in hard drylumps of dung, th e spawn having
the appearance of whitish coarse pieces of th read .”
3364. To p7-eserve indigenous spawn. “ Having found cakes of dung which contain the desired spawn,
take them up as entire as possible, with the earth adhering, and lay them carefully in a basket or any
other conveyance. These are to be stored till used, as below, in a dry covered place; and, if they were
found in a damp state, should be dried in hollow piles, before they are laid together in a mass. The dry
spawn may be preserved three or four years. To preserve alike from perishing, and from running before
it is planted, a dry shed furnished with a current of air, is indispensable.”
3365. p7-ocuring spawn artificially. Wales thus procures spawn : —“ F or this purpose, th e month of
March is the fittest time, the cattle not being then upon grass, but chiefly upon dry food of one sort or
other. Tiike two barrow loads of cow-dung, one load of sheep and one of horse-dung ; dry th e n well ;
then break them quite small, so as thev may go easily through a coarse garden sieve. When well mixed
together, lay them up in a round heap, finishing at top in a point. It is to beunderstood, that the operation
is to b e conducted in a d ry shed. Observe to tread the heap as it is put up, which will greatly save it from
heating too much. If a stick were th ru st into the heap as a proof, and, when taken out, if it feels very
sUghtly warm in the hand, the heat is doing well ; for, in the whole mode of raising mushrooms,it should
be particularly observed to take great care of the heat, as the m ushrooms are impatient of cither too much
heat or cold : th e best adapted and most productive heat I have ever found was from 55° to 60° of
Fahrenheit, and th e nearer th e beds are kept to this heat, th e greater will be the success. The heap is to
be covered with horse-litter, in a state of fermentation, to th e thickness of 4 in. all over. If the shed
be warm when the heap is put up, I would recommend old bast-mats ra the r than dung, as th e least
ovcr-heat would spoil th e heap. In this state let it lie for one month ; then throw th e litte r a little aside,
th ru st the hand into the heart o fth e heap, and take out a handful. If th e spawn has begun to run, you
will observe numerous small white fibres or threads through th e dung. If not begun to run, let another
covering be put on above the old one of the same thickness as the first ; and after a month more you will
undoubtedly find th e heap to abound with spawn. 1 have had it running in threo weeks, and sometimes
it has required ten weeks, m uch depending on th e state of the dung. The spawn thus procured is of the
very best quality, far exceeding w hat is got in fields or in old hotbeds. 1 write from experience, and have
not borrowed this mode of procuring spawn from any one. The spawn in this state is not fit for keeping
813
long ; ana 1 shall next give directions howto form spawn bricks, when as many can be made a t one time
(A/c'« ^C id cd llw t S '*™ ’ ^ number of years if required, provided the spawn be kept d ry.”’
33m. Preserving artificial spawn by forming spawn bricks. T h e author last quoted savs “ take of
horse-dung without litter, three burrow loads; two barrow loads of th e mould of rotten tree-leaves - two
barrow loads of cow-dung ; one barrow load of old tan bark, such as is thrown out of th e nine-nit • ’with
one barrow loud of shcep’s-dung ; mix all these well together, till the mixture seem to be one comnost
and to be as fine and soft as common mortar, or as the clay used in grafting, as otherwise it would not
come easily out of th e mould. 1 hen take a small frame, such as brickmakers use for moulding th eir
bucks ; the size 6 m. long, 4 in. broad, and 3 m. deep. A portion of the mixture should then be forced
into the mould or frame, and, the sides of the mould being a little wetted beforehand, the spawn-brick
will easily come out without breaking. After the bricks have stood two hours or so, take a blunt
half through the bn"cvk'* ; 7t®h*e"s®e 1h*o^l7e®s are for receivingthe spawn. I find i1t is the beset awcahy o toth leari, tahned b aribcokust
as they are made, upon b o a rd / that they may be carried out of doors in a good day to dry. The bricks
shouldbe renclerad perfectly dry, as the least damp would spoil the spawn. They Ì-ill often seem dry on
the outside, while they continue wet in the inside. The best way to prove them, is to break a brick aSd
observe how dry it is in the inside. It js to be observed, that great care must be taken in the turning
them upon the boards, for fear of breaking, they being very apt to go to pieces, till nearly fit for receiving
spawn. When fit they are firm, and quite dry on the outside! this happens in’ the cours? of Îhree wTeks
f the weather be dry and the bncks be rightly attended to. Now, take fresh horse-litter, which has been
aid up m a heap to sweeten as if for hotbeds ; spread a bottom course of this 6 in. thick, whereon to
lay tho bricks. 1 he horse-litter which is to be prepared forcovering the spawn bricks ought not to be rank
because the drier and sweeter the heat, the freer tbe spawn will work ; and, as I stated before if the’
weatlier be warm, the less covering will serve: if there be any heat in the old covering a t the exniration
qt_t u-ce weeks, add no rnore new covering, as the old will perfectly serve the end. Every hole in the
bricks must next be filled quite close up with the spawn; and as the bricks are laid one upon another the
upper side of the brick, when laid, must also be covered with spawn : a t the same time observing as the
bricks are laid, to keep them as open between one another as possible, so as to let the heat and steam of
the dung go through all parts o fth e heap. The heap is to be terminated a t top by a single brick When
all ara thus laid, place round the sides and top 6 in. of the hot dung, which will soon raise a fine mode-
rato heat : observing th at all this must be done in a shed, or where rain cannot enter to cool th e dung
Attcr two w e e k / add 3 m. thick of additional fresh dung upon the old ; this will renew the heat
and make it work forcibly for the space of two weeks more, when the litte r may be taken off, and cleared
all out trom the spawn-bricks. Before the cover is taken off, it will be proper to lay a little of it aside
and take out a few of the bricks, to see whether the spawn has run all through each brick or not • if not’
replace the bricks again, and tho cover, and let them remain for ten days longer, when thev will b’e found
to bo every one, as it were, a solid mass of spawn. They may be allowed to stand and dry for a few davs
igno othde ^fo hre mapa n; yt hyeeya rasr.e” then to be laid up, till wanted for use, in some dry- xp lace>, where the/v will k«.eueuni/
3367. Propagation o f mushroo7)i spawn. M'Phail offers two modes, as follows:—“ About thebeginnine
of the month ot May, collect a heap of nearly equal quantities of cow, horse, and sheep dung add to it
some rotten forn leaves, or rotten dry dung, somewhat resembling spawn, from the linings of hotbeds •
mix the wdiole well together, in the way a bricklayer’s labourer makes mortar ; spread it on a floor in 1
cool dry shed, where it cannot dry too hastily, making it about 5 in. or 6 in. thick; beat or tread it firm •
and as soon as it is in a fit condition, cut it with a sharp spade into pieces in the form of bricks ; set thè
pieces to dry till they can be conveniently handled; then with a knife make a hole in the middle of each’
and put a little piece of good mushroom-spawn into each hole, closing it up with a bit of that which w A
taken out ; then pile the impregnated pieces up in a heap in a hollow manner, so that the air may pass
through the heap freely among the pieces, to dry them gradually ; and if the shed be light, cover the heap
with mats, or any other hght covering, to keep it dark. When the spawn has extended itself through everV
p art of the prepared pieces of the mixture, lay them out separately, that they may be perfectly dried
which will prevent mushroorns from growing out of them ; which, il suffered, would exhaust the spawn
so, that it would be much weakened. In a dry state, the spawn, thus propagated, may lie till it be wanted
in the autumn or lollowing spring. If such pieces of spawn be continued in a dry state, the spawn will
remain good ior a long time.” ■' ’ »pawn wm
3368. Anofhe7- way, similar to the preceding, to make mushroom-spawn. is as follows “ Some time in
the month of Mayor June, collect about two cart-loads of dung from the fields.or take it from the stables-
separate it entirely from the straw ; add to it six barrows of fresh loam, two barrows of soil scraped from
the road, and one barrow of coal-ashes sifted fine: mix these well together ; then spread the mixture on
the floor of a dry shed give it a gentle watering, and spread over it a quantity of spawn from an old
mushvoom-bcd ; after this, tread it as firm as possible, and continue to do so two or three times a week
In this situation let it remain till it is turned into a solid mass of spawn, which generallv is about tliè
end of August ; then cut it into lumps, and lay them up edgewise to dry.”
3369. Abercrombie says, “ pieces of it may be laid along the ridge of a cucumber-bed raised in sprins
Plant them about a foot apart. In about two months, th e surface of the spawn will assume a mould?
appearance ; it is then to be taken up witn the earth adhering thereto, broken into pieces, apd laid upoii
the shelf of a dry shed.” ^
3370. Oldaker s mode of p7-opagaiion is as follows: “ Take any quantity of fresh horse-droppines mixed
with short litter (as recommended for the beds), add one third of cow’s dung, and a small portion of
earth to cement it together ; mash the whole into a thin compost, and then spread it on the floor of an
open shed, and let it remain till it becomes firm enough to be formed into flat, square bricks which beine
done, set them on edge, and frequently turn them until half dry ; then, with a dibble make one or two
holes in each brick, and insert in each hole a piece of good old spawn, the sizeof a common walnut- the
bricks should then remain until they are dry. This being completed, level the surfaceof a pieceof around
3 It. wide, and of length sufficient to receive the bricks, on which lay a bottom of dry horse-dune
6 m. high ; then_ form a pile, by placing th e bricks in rows one upon another (the spawn side uppermost)
till the pile IS 3 ft. high ; next cover it with a small portion of warm horse-dung sufficient in
quantity to diffuse a gentle glow through the whole. When the spawn has spread itself through eve-v
part of the bncks, the process is ended, and they must be laid up in any dry place for use. Mushroom
spawn, made according to this receipt, will preserve its vegetative power many years, if well dried before
it is laid up; if moist, it will grow and soon exhaust itself.”
3371. Neill mentions an original method of propagating spawn, practised by Hay. in Scotland
“ A quantity of cow-droppings is to be gathered from the pastures ; some rotten wood, or spray from thè
bottom of a hedge, IS to be collected, with a little strong loam. These are mixed, and formed into a moist
ductile sort of mortar or paste, of such consistence th a t it can be cut into pieces like bricks When
these are so far dried that they can conveniently be lifted, a row is laid in some dry place under cover
perhaps in a shed at the back of a hothouse ; a little spawn is placed upon the layer ; then another layer
o f the spawn-bncks, and so o n . In a few weeks the whole mass is penetrated b y th e spawn The
spawn-bricks may then be laid aside for use ; they will keep many months ; and the drier they are kept
th em o re certainly do they afford a crop of mushrooms when placed in favourable circumstances for
doing so.”
3372. liogei-s' mode of preparing spawn is as follows : — “ I collect pure cow-dung, not fresh, hut such
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