A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

MUS 384 MUS
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spawn as soon as the violence of the
heat has abated, which it will in two or
three weeks, though sometimes it will
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tention to the fire, and in admitting fresh
air as it may be required. The house
is heated by open tanks, which run
subside in eight or ten days.
Spawning. — The large lumps
through the centre of it, and which re-
of! turn again into the boiler, giving out a
spawn, being broken into moderately sufficient quantity of moisture for the
small pieces, are to be planted on both necessary development and growth of
sides of the bed and ends, if it is hip- the mushroom. During night, the
ped; each fragment just beneath the grassy turf becomes copiously loaded
surface of the dung, in rows six or eight with moisture ; and should the foil owinches
apart each way. Some gardeners ing day prove fine, I never omit giving
erroneously scatter the spawn irregular- abundance of fresh air by the doorway.
ly over the surface. Fine rich loam, The temperature of the house ranges
rather light than otherwise, is tlien to be from 60^ to 6o^ during the day, and at
put on, two inches deep, the stones night it is frequently allowed to fall as
being carefully separated. Some gardeners,
endeavouring to imitate the natu-
low as temperate.
" The great advantage of growing
ral mode of growth, spread an inch in the mushroom upon fresh grassy turf is
depth of mould over the beds, in which obvious to any one accustomed lo its
they set the spawn, and gently cover it cultivation. I have been in the habit
with half an inch more. Others lay a of growing it, and with great success,
ledge of mould, four inches high, and upon coal refuse for the last two years;
two thick, all round the bed ; upon this
close to the dung, they lay the spawn ;
and at present I have two boxes at
work, one covered with coal dust, the
then a second ledge, six inches, of other with turf; the produce of these
similar thickness, on this they set an- shows the relative advantage of the two
other row of spawn, and so proceed methods, for although those from the
until the bed is finished ; but this has no coal dust are large and of good fiavour,
advantage over the first mode described, they are decidedly inferior in both re-
and is much more tedious. Lastly, a spects to those produced by the grass
covering of straw, six or twelve inches covered beds; indeed, such is the supe-
thick, according to the temperature, is riority of the latter, that if the mush-
to be laid on, and continued constantly.
When the earthing is finished, the surrooms
from both beds were gathered,
and mixed indiscriminately, any one
face must be gently smoothed with the could, without difficulty, select those
back of the spade, which fixes it pro- grown upon the turf from those raised
perly, and if in the open air throws oft" on the beds covered with the small
any excessive rain. If, after the bed has coal." Gard. Chron.
been spawned and covered up, the heat In four or five weeks after spawning,
appears to be renewed in any consider- in spring and autumn, the bed should
able degree, the greatest part of the
covering must be removed, but restored
begin to produce, but not until much
later in summer and winter ; and if kept
again during rain, if the bed is not under dry and warm, will continue to do so
for several months.
A gathering may take place two or
three times a week, according to the
productiveness of the bed. It sometimes
happens that beds will not come
cover; and to guard against this contingency
it is a good practice to mould
over only two-thirds of the bed at first,
leaving the top uncovered to serve as a
vent for the heat and steam, but when
all danger is passed it may then be completed.
Mr. Haukin, gardener to Capt. Nut-
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into production for five or six months ;
they should not therefore be impatiently
destroyed.
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ford, thus completes his preparations: Watering.—In autumn, the bed will
—" In about a week or ten days after- not require water until the first crop is
wards, I finish off the beds with green gathered, but it is then to be repeated
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turf, one inch and a half in thickness, after every gathering; a sprinkling only
making the beds in my boxes, in all is necessary. In spring and summer,
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about nine inches in depth. I beat down during dry weather, the same course is
the turf very firmly with the back of a to be pursued. As excessive or unspade
; in finishing afterwards, I have equal moisture is studiously to be
avoided, the best mode of applying the
no farther trouble except in paying at- 1