' f t a
ré ta H
i l , If
! î'
k l.
as I happen to find in th e park, th e fields, or the farm-yard; with this I mix the scrapings of roads, in the
proportion of one half to one, adding to it about one third or a fourth of vegetable mould, obtained from
leaves or decayed stacks. These ingredients being well worked up together, the compost is formed into
bricks about 9 in. long, in. broad, and 2 in. thick. The bricks are exposed to the air and sun,
and suft'ered to attain such a degree of solidity, as to bear a considerable pressure, but not to dry hard.
They are then removed to a shed, for th e purpose of being laid up in strata. Thre e or four rows are
first placed on the ground with interstices of about 1 in. in width between the rows and the bricks ; into
these interstices, or spaces, loose spawn, such as is found in the litte r of old mushroom beds, is scat,
tered ; and over the whole surface oi th e layer such spawny litter is likewise spread. Should there be no
old mushroom-beds a t hand to furnish the scatterings, some spawn-bricks must be broken to pieces in
order to supply them. The first layer having been thus treated, another is put upon it, and likewise interspersed
and covered with spawn and litte r from old beds. A third and fourth stratum may be laid on,
or more, and regulated in the same manner. The whole pile being completed according to the quantity
th a t is required, it is covered over with hot stable dung und litte r ; and in two, three, or more weeks,
according to the state of the weather, the bricks are filled with spawn, and may be laid by for use. 1 will
not hazard an opinion, whether th e cow-dung itself contains the elements of spawn, or onlyacts the part
of a matrix or receptacle ; but this I can state, th at mushroom-spawn is generated in other dung besides
horse-dung ; for I once found it plentifully in pigeons’ dung. As I have used this preparation of spawn
for a length of time, the essence of cow-dung must entirely preponderate in my composition ; though the
origin of the spawn should a t first have been derived from horse-dung. I may add, that, when managed
in the manner I have described, it yields spawn as productive as any that can be obtained. I was formerly
taught to believe th a t it was essential to mix a portion of horse-dung in tho bricks, but my experience has
since convinced me, that cow-dung alone answers the purpose. The spawn is generated in it plentifully,
and of good quality.”
3373. Care o f the bricks. It is of importance that the bricks alluded to should not be left in a situation
which would cause the spawn to work, an effect which would be produced by moisture, combined with
warmth. Therefore, when the spawn is bred, th e bricks must bela id in a dry place, to prevent the process
of germination. The spawn must not be suffered to advance towards the rudiments of the mushroom,
which consist in little threads or fibres, for in this state it ceases to be useful in spawning a bed. As soon
as those rudiments are formed, they must be left undisturbed, or they perish. They will grow into a
mushroom on the spot where they are developed ; but when removed or torn up, they are destroyed. A
piece of spawn which appears in filaments or fibres is no longer applicable to a mushroom bed ; it may
produce a mushroom in itself, but can serve no other purpose. The spawn th a t is to b e in se rte d in ab ed ,
and to receive its development there, must not be gone so far, but should only have the appearance of
indistinct white mould. {Hort. Trans., vol. iv. p. 472.)
3374. The importance o f keepir^ spawn dry is attested by Miller, who found, that spawn which had
lain for four months near the furnace of a stove, yielded a crop in less time, and in greater profusion,
than any other.
337.5. Tke methods o f rearing mushrooms are still more various th an those of propagating the spawn.
Th ey a re most commonly grown in ridges in the open air, covered with litter and mats ; and next in frequency
in ridges of the same sort under cover, as in th e open sheds of hothouses. T h e y a re also
grown in close sheds behind hothouses ; in flued sheds built on purpose, or mushroom houses; on shelves
in flued mushroom-houses ; in pots, boxes, hampers, baskets placed in any warm situation ; in cucumber
■r melon ...................................................beds ; in oid hotbeds of any s o r t ; in pits with glass frames ; and in dark frames
r pits.
3376. liidges in the open air. M'Phail says, “ some think th a t mushrooms do better '
than in covered sheds, v
are apt to become too dry ; i . „ .
th e covering, keeps them in a damp state.” {Gard. Rem., p. 110.)
3377. Prepai-ing the dung. Provide good horse-dung, purged of itsfiery heat by th e usual
with which some old linings from amelon-bed may be mixed, if it is not w inter. {Aberc7-ombic.) ......
says, '' take two cart-loads of fresh stable-dung, to which add an equal quantity of old dry linings from
. the open air
which I have frequently experienced to be the case. In sheds,, mushroom-_______ _____
beds
■ 1 the open ground, the humidity o fth e air, and a little wet sinking through
,1 preparation
)ic.) M-Phail
melon or cucumber beds, mixing them,well together in a heap ; and after letting it lie about a fortnight,
it will be in a fit state to make into beds. To make a mushroom-bed of new dung, let the same be well
prepared, by laying it together in a heap to ferment, and by turning and mixing it well, shaking the outside
of the heap, which is cold, and the inside, which is iiot, together, so that every part of it may be
equally fermented, and deprived of its noxious quality.”
3.378. Forming the bed. Abercrombie says, “ mark out the ground-line of a bed 4 ft. wide ac bottom,
th e length to be governed by the quantity to be raised ; from this, work with an inward slope, so as to
terminate with a narrow roofed-shaped ridge along the centre, 3 ft. or more in height. In building
the bed, shake and mix th e dung well together : beat it down with the fork, b u t do not tread it : leave
it to settle, and to expend the first heat in vapour. When the dung is in a fit state to make into a bed,
which it will be in about three weeks or a month after it has been p u t together to ferment, let the bottom
for it be marked out about 7 ft. wide, and as long as you choose to make it ; let the foundation on
which it is made be dry, and let it be worked up in a sloping manner, so as to terminate with a narrow
roof-shaped ridge along the centre, about 4 ft. or more in height. In making the bed, shake and
mix the dung well together ; beat it down well with the fork ; and if the dung be long and dryish, tread
it down as you proceed.” {M'Phail.)
3379. Moulding the bed. " Having proved, by trial-stick.s left some days in the bed, th a t the heat is
become moderate, you may cover two thirds of th e sloping bank with mould 2 in. thick, leaving the top
of the ridge open for the steam to evaporate as it gradually rises. When the exhalation is finished, the
topmayaiso be earthed over ; ” or, earth round the bed 4 in. high, forming a ledge of mould 2 in. thick.
3380. Planting the spawn. “ Divide th e large cakes of spawn into small lumps. These may be planted
in rows 6 in. or 8 in. asunder. Place th e lumps of spawn about 6 in. apart in the same row, inserting
them through the mould close down to the surface of the dung: or, the dry spawn may be broken or
scattered over th e bed; being covered with earth to th e depth specified above.” {Abercrombie.)
3381. M'Phail directs, “ when the bed has been some time made, and th e heat sufficiently declined,
th e spawn may be put into it ; but, for fear o fth e heat being too great in the upper p a rt of it, it had best
be a t first spawned only half-way up all round. Take the spawn in small pieces, and stick it into the sides
of the bed, in rows about 3 in. or 4 in., piece from piece, so that th e spawn and earth about to be laid
on, may meet. When the bed is spawned as high up as it is thought the heat of the bed will not in ju
re it, take good, strong, rich, earth, of a loamy quality, and cover the spawned p a rt of the bed with it,
about 2 in. thick, beginmng to lay it a t the bottom of the bed. beating it firm with th e spade. T h e earth
should be in a pliable state ; not wet, nor over dry.”
3382. Covering the ridges. " The inconvenience of a bed exposed to the weather is, th at it is sometimes
necessary to cover it from wet, where there is danger of thus exciting a fermentation. When the
bed is even under a shed, it is necessary to apply a covering from 3 in. to 12 in. thick, as th e strength of
th e dung declines, or as th e bed may be exposed, a t the sides, to rain, snow, or frost. T h e covering
may be either clean straw and long dry stable-litter, or sweet hay and matting; the latter is to be p re ferred.
Lay it thin a t first, and increase it as circumstances demand.”
3383. Ridges in open sheds are formed and planted exactly in th e same manner.
3384. I n rearing in close sheds behind hothouses, where the temperature approaches to 50° or 55° in
th e winter months, from the heat arising from th e hothouse furnaces, the ridge mode above may be
adopted, or a flat bed similarly composed and planted.
CULTURE OF TIIE MUSHROOM. 815
3385. InJhied sheds, or mushroom-houses on the common plan, the method of forming the dune-bed
fo 1 "i fl 7/*^® “ «fie® = sometimes, however,.n a walled pit, and flat, or sloping, on th e surface, hke a cucumber-bed. the beds are formed
3386. German modeof cultivating the mushroom. The cultureof mushrooms on shelves, in Sued sheds
b J . i i® Oldaker. The plan of Oldaker’s house has
¡fo« ” M'Phail describes a similar one, as “ a good method of propaga-
To either houses the following directions will a p p ly :— v V E
3387. Cmnpostfor the beds. Collect a quantity of fresh horse-dung, that has neither been exposed to
wet nor fermentation, clearing« it «off tfhoret floon«g« ostfr«a..w,«, rsto« a-ss ttoo lleeaavvee oonnee ffoouurrtthh,, iinn qquuaannttiittyv,. oi fth e shortest
«r r7fo " incorporated with the. horse-droppings ; then add a fourth part of tcderably dry turf-mould,
or ra the r mOTa-i'idrfe n earth, and m...i.x.. ..i.t.. w'■'e•“llrt with t»h■e- d-nunngg bbeeffoorree mmeennttiioonneedd ;; tthhee aaddvvaannttaagcee ddeerriv- -e-d’ from the
f 1®" ®'^ ’irti® compact solid substance, so congenial to the
grow th of mushroorns. _ If dung from the exercise ground of a large stable, or the round of a horse-mill
can be procured, and mixed with a fourth part of short litter, and added to as many fresh horse-droppings
as will cause a gentle warmth, when made into beds, it will be found superior, for the production If
mushrooms, to horse-dung th a t is gathered from the stables.
¿3m. The method of m a /n g the beds. Form the beds on the shelves and ground-floor bv nlacine a
layer about 3 in. thick of the prepared mixture. Then, with a flat mallet, boat it as close togethe?
as possible, n e ^ add another layer of the compost, repeating the same process as before, and so on until
the beds are formed into a solid body, 7 m. thick, making th e surface of the heds as smooth and as
even as possible. The reducing the beds into a very solid body is a most essential point • for without it
you cannot expect success: and the thickness of them must also be particularly attended to • for where
th ere is a much greater body, the beds will be subjected to a strong fermentation, and will be prevented
by evaporation, from retaining th a t consistency in the dung, which is absolutely necessary for the nroduc-’
tion ot a good and plentiful crop. On th e contrary, if a much le.ss quantity bo laid together, the heat and
fermentation will be insufficient to prepare the beds for the nourishment o fth e spawn ; but the assistance
ot both, to the extent prescribed, cements the materials together, which, in addition to beating, increases
greatly their solidity. The proper vegetation o fth e spawn, and the consequent crop of mushrooms depend
entirely upon a moderate genial heat and fermentation, neither too strong nor too slight As soon
as the degree of heat in the beds is a little more than th a t of milk from the cow (say from 80° to 90°
oi 1-ahrenheit s therinometer), beat the beds a second time, to render them more solid, if possible •
then make holes with a dibble, 3 in. in diameter, and 9 m. asunder, through the compost in everv
P I ■ ® tie a means of cooling the beds, and preventing that exce.ss of heat
irqra taking place, which_ would produce rottenness, and render them unproductive. If the beds do not
attain the heat required, m four or live days after they are put together (which you will know bv nliino'
mg a thermometer into one of the holes), add another layer of the compost, 2 in. thick, which will nro
bably increase the heat sufficiently ; if not, a part of the bed should be taken away, and the remainder
mixed with fresh horse-droppings, and wrought together in the same way as before, in order to nroduce
the pioper degree of heat. Beds made after this manner readily generate natural spawn in summer
and frequently m the winter months. ^ ’
3389. Of spawning tke beds. In three or four days after the holes have been made, bv observins the
thermometer, it will be found that you have the desired degree of heat, and the inside of the holes will
¿ s o have become dry ; the beds are then in a good state for spawning, which should be done while the
heat IS on th e decline. If this operation be deferred until th e heat is quite exhausted, the crop will be
late, and less plentiful. J i ll every hole full ol spawn, which must be well beaten into them, and then
îD.nkûfo« curfac eof the beds solid and lev e l; it is of no consequence whether the spawn put into the
holes be in one lump , . --- - „OT..OTA. ....OTV..OT. -..OT u u i. IJltU Lljc
4 u i. rt - A - - - . ' s e v e r a l small pieces : it is only necessary th a t the holes should be well filled
About a fortnight alter the spawn has been introduced, examine the boles, and if the spawn has suffered
any damage from over-heat, or too much moisture, in the beds, introduce fresh spawn in the same wav
¿ before. On the contrary, if the spawn be found good, and vegetating freely into the compost such
beds (if required for iramedate production) may be covered with mould, agreeably to the rules hereafter
laid down ; and the beds intended for succession should remain unearthed, in the summer three weeks
or a month before you wish them to produce, and in the winter a month or five weeks. If the snawn he
introduced m hot weather, air must be admitted as freely as possible into the shed, till the sp?wn has
spread itself through the b ed s; for if the place be kept too close, the beds will become soft and sponev
and then the crop will neither be abundant, nor of good quality. ’
3.390. Of earthing the beds. Such beds as are intended to be put into work, must be covered with a
coat of rich maiden earth, wherein its tu rf is well reduced. Then spread it regularly over the surface of
each bed, 2 in. th ic k ; and beat it as solid and level as possible. T h e earth used should be neither
too dry nor yet wet, but so as to become compact together, and take, when beaten, a smooth face If
too moist. It will chill the beds, and injure the spawn. On the contrary, if too dry, it will remain loose
and in a state by no means favourable to the growth of th e mushrooms : but when solid it produces not
only finer mushrooms, but in greater quantities, as the earth from soils of lighter texture invariablv
grows them weaker, and of inferior quality, and such beds cease bearing much earlier.
3391. Of the subsequent treatment. From the time of covering with earth, the room’or shed should be
kept a t 50° to 55° of F ahrenheit’s thermometer, and the light must be excluded. If the heat be suffered
to exceed, to any considerable degree, it will cause the beds to ferment a second time and weaken if
not totally destroy, the spawn; but should a much lower degree of temperature than th e one prescribed
be permitted to prevail, the mushrooms will advance slowly in their growth ; and if watered in that state
numbers of the small ones will be prevented from attaining perfection. In watering them extreme
«««f,«« ... necessary, as well in the modeof application,. ‘ .............■
c a u tio n __
be nearly as ■ ■ warm ........ ■‘15^-" and ’ very ’lightly ■ ’ tlysprinklec
sprinkled with a syringe, or a small watering-pot; otherth
e mushrooms are sure to sustain damage. If cold water be used, and given plentifulh- at one
time, It will not only destroy the existing crop, but the spawn also, and render the beds so treated of no
lu rth e r utility. If the beds have been suffered to become very dry, it is better to give them several light
waterings than one heavy supply. In gathering the mushrooms great care should be taken not to disturb
the small ones that invariably, with good management, surround the stems of those which are more earlv
matured. T h e best method is to twist them up, very gently, in all instances where you can. But where
you are obliged to cut them, great care should be taken to divest the beds o fth e stems of those th a t are
cut, as they would rot, to the great injury of those that surround them. If the preceding directions are
properly attended to, in th e management of the beds, they will continue to bear several months and a
constant supply may be kept by earthing one bed or more, every two or threo months, according’to the
quantity of mushrooms required a t one season. IVhen th e beds are in full bearing, if the mushrooms
become long m th e ir stems, and weak, it is certain the temperature of the building is too high • conso
quently, air must be admitted in proportion to the heat. ’
3392. Of renovating the old beds. As your beds begin to decline in bearing, and produce but few mush-
r ^m s , take off the earth clean from the dung, and if you find the latter decayed, destroy the beds and replace
them by new ones, being careful to select any good spawn th at may present itself; but if on taking
away th e earth, you find the beds dry, solid, and full of good spawn, add a layer of fresh comoost as
¿ f o r e recommended, 3 in. or 4 in. thick, mixing it a little with th e old, and heat it as before. By adhering
to this mode of renovating the old beds, a continual supply may he kept up. {Oldaker in Hoit
Trans., vol. ii.) ’
3393. Estimate ofthe merits o f the German mode of cultivating mushrooms. Neill observes, “ in what