Page:The Garden Mushroom.pdf/22

 in spawning beds, provided it be quite dry otherwise let it lye by for a few weeks.

Be careful, in collecting the spawn, to have the lumps or cakes of spawny dung taken up entire, placing them in a basket or wheelbarrow, in order to be carried into some dry close shed or room, to be deposited till wanted; noticing whether any of the lumps be wet: in that case spread them to dry a little; then let the whole be placed in a dry corner, closely covered with straw or litter or garden mats; or packed up in sacks or hampers, covered close in the same manner, whether for present use, or for keeping. By attending to these directions its vegetative power may be long retained, and the spawn safely sent to any distant place.

We should be particularly cautious to reject spurious or false spawn; for there is a