Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-02-28
JAPANESE MUSHROOMS.
How they arc CuIfiVated-One Offhe
Industries OF a Great Empire.
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How they are CuIfiVated-One Offhe
Industries of a Great Empire.
From the Pail Mall G%azettc.l
One of the industries of Japan is the
cultivation of mushrooms, which are ex-
ported in large quantities from that
country, and some interesting informa-
ton respecting them is given by Consul
Robertson in his report on the trade of
Kanagaws, lately issued. The best of
the edible species of mushrooms are
known as "matsutake" and 'shii-take."
The difficulties attendent on preserving
the former kind almost exclude them
from the market for export for not only
do they decompose very rapidly, but
even when successfully dried, are nearly
tasteless, and thus useless in cookery.
The shii-take species, however, have
this peculiar excellence, that, though all
but tasteless in their raw state, when
they are dried they have an extremely
fine flavor. They quantity hat grows
naturally on the decayed roots or cut
stumps OF the shii-tree is not sufficient
to meet the demand for them, conse-
quently much skill has been brought to
bear on their cultivation, notably by cut
ting off the trunks of the shii and other
trees and forcing the growth Of the
mushroom on them, Different varieties
of oak are most in favor for the c%ultiva-
ton of the mushroom, the tree known as
the shii giving, however, the best results.
About the beginning of autumn the
trunk, about five OF six inches in dame
ter, is selected and cut up into lengths
of four or FIVE feet each piece is then
split down le~ngthways into four, and on
the outer bark slight missions are either
made at once with q hatohet, or the cut
logs are left till the following spring, and
then deep wounds seven or eight inches
long are incised on them. Assuming
the first course to have been pursued,
the logs, after having received several
slight incisions, are placed in a wood or
grove where they can get the full benefit
Of the air and heat. In about three wears
they will be tolerably rotten in parts,
After the more rotten parts are removed.
they are placed against q rack in a slant
ing position, and about the middle ofthe
ensuing spring the mushrooms will come
forth in abundance. They ar then
gathered. The logs are, however, still
kept, and are submitted to the following
process Every morning they are put in
water and remain there till after noon,
when they are taken out, laid lengthwise
on the ground. and beaten with a mallet.
They are then ranged on end in the
same slanting position as before, and in
two or three days mushrooms will again
make their appearance. When the logs
are beaten 50 heavily that the wood
swells, mushrooms are induced Of more
than ordinarily large growth. If the
logs are beaten gently, a great number
of small-sized mushrooms grow up in
succession. In places where there is a
scarcity Of water, rain-water should be
kept for sleeping the logs in. There is
yet another plan. The cut.logs are bu-
ried In the earth, and in a years time
are dug out and beaten as above de-
scribed. The mushrooms thus grown
are stored in a barn, on shelves ranged
along three sides, with braziers lighted
under. Afterward they are placed in
small boxes, the bottoms of which are
lined either with straw or bamboo mats.
These boxes are then ranged on the
shelves, and all approaches carefully
closed. An even degree Of warmth is
bus diffused. The boxes ranged on the
upper or lower tiers are constantly
onapged, so that the contents Of each
are thoroughly dried. Another mode Of
drying is to string the mushrooms on
thin slips Of bamboo, which are piled to-
gether near the brazier the heat is well
kept in by inverting a closely woven bas-
ket over them. Dried mushrooms.
which are much liked by tho Chinese
and largely consumed BY the Japanese,
retain their favor for a great length of
time, and thus bear transport to any
distance very vol.