Page:The family kitchen gardener - containing plain and accurate descriptions of all the different species and varieties of culinary vegetables (IA familykitchengar56buis).pdf/84

 part left generally rots and breeds insects, particularly the wood-louse, which is very destructive to Mushroom beds.

Sometimes it happens that a bed suddenly ceases to be productive. This may arise from various causes, but most frequently from the cold state of the bed in Winter, or a dryness of soil. In the former case, an additional covering should be given, in the latter, water in a milk-warm or tepid state should be applied moderately, for two or three mornings in succession. After each watering leave the covering off for about an hour. Soft water should be used for the purpose. In Summer the beds will require watering every two days, though in Winter they may not need it in as many months. A good bed will be productive for three months, though it may occasionally happen to wear out in half that time.

From these observations, an ingenious mind can make a Mushroom bed in a multitude of situations, all obtainable where there are cellars, stables, or other buildings. We would not despair even in the open air during Winter, covered with plenty of litter, under a few boards to ward off cold rains. In Spring and Summer, any quantity may be grown in this way.

It will be observed, in the cultivation of every other vegetable we either sow or plant some evident material of reproduction; but in the cultivation of Mushrooms, we neither sow nor plant any antecedent production of seed, plant, or root, yet it is certain that mushrooms are reproduced by a process in which the dung of certain animals forms the chief instrument, and on the goodness and strength of that ingredient, in whatsoever way it is made, chiefly depends the crop. We are aware that this vegetable appears in certain situations without any apparent cause, though we feel fully satisfied that there are inert ingredients that only require a combination of influences to produce certain results, and these results in nature are unerring.

The young Horticulturist should never desist from making moderate and well-considered experiments. Let him never