Page:The Garden Mushroom.pdf/30

 drying the covering of litter more effectually, when rendered wet by excessive rains.

According to the above directions, mark out the places for the beds, and let the surface of the ground be well cleared from weeds and rubbish four feet wide, and if a trench is intended, excavate it only about ten inches deep, laying the mould equally to both sides ready for moulding the bed when spawned.

In the formation of the bed different methods are practised; but I never found more than one to be good and successful. Some are made by a layer of dung a foot thick, and a layer of earth, alternately; but beds made entirely of dung are what I recommend; dung and earth together rarely succeed, notwithstanding this method is recommended by some eminent writers, who