MUSHROOM CULTURE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XVII, Issue 875, 24 April 1891, Page 3

MUSHROOM CULTURE.

The open ground culture of mushrooms is the simplest of garden operations ; it is only necessary to prepare the bed and spawn it, and the mushrooms will come at the proper season. In some soils mushrooms are produced without artificial spawn, but, as they cannot be relied upon to do so, we shall

f , not recommend anyone to risk a disappointment, The moist season of autumn is the time when mushrooms are produced naturally; a few also' may, some years, be gathered in the spring, but the autumn is the principal mushroom season, and the beds should be prepared just -long enough before that period of the year to ensure a full growth at that most favorable time. During the month of Augusta quantity of fresh horse-droppings should be collected. They should not be thrown into a large heap, but kept thinly spread out under cover of a shed until the quantity required has been obtained. Then throw out a trench, 4ft wide and lft deep, and into this put the horse-droppings,, to the depth of 9in, treading them firmly together. By this process of treading the air will in a great measure be excluded, and this will prevent the heat rising too high. When the heat is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, break up spawn into pieces the size of a walnut, and insert them a foot apart, just level with the surface. Then water slightly if necessary, and a day or two afterwards, put 3in of fine soil over the bed. If the weather prove moderately moist, and yet mild, there will be plenty of mushrooms in about a month ; but as cold, heavy, soaking rains kill the spawn, it will be expedient to protect the bed by an awning of some kind. The great heats of summer are highly prejudicial, and should therefore be guarded against. Mushrooms may be grown all the year through in cellars, by filling boxes or baskets with horscdroppings, rammed tightly in, and spawned as above directed. The spawn I is obtainable of all seedsmen. |