The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-29
The Mushroom.

[Pttsburg Telegraph
The prevailing idea is that the fungi
are difficult to produce artiticially and
that the only time TO really enjoy mush,
room eating is when the cool nights and
foggy mornings of autumn cause the
plants to dot the meadows. But this is
an erroneous idea. Every well-ordered
seed-store keeps mushroom seed or
"spawn," and Il little care and patience
will enable the purchaser to have enough
of the delicious articles to supply him
self and family. alma r.,s.
This was evident after recent visit
paid by the writer to Dr. Addison Ar
thurs residence on Grant street. The
doctor is successful amateur grower OF
mushrooms, and was very willing to tell
of his success.
"At first I didn't meet with entire sue
cess, and tried three times before l got
all the mushrooms I wanted. The first
thing is to have cellar of an even tenn
perature of 65 degrees. Then there must
be bed made on the cellar floor. Make
it about Is inches deep and of half good
rich soil and half horse manure we'll
mixed. Put in third Of this only and
beat it down in the bed. Let this lay for
week or so and then put in another
layer, then another When the bed is
nice and warm, get "briek" of mush-
room spawn, break this into small pieces
and put pieces into the bed at regular in
tervals few inches apart. Then cover
the bed with straw for two weeks in order
to keep in the warmth. The mushrooms
will not be up for six weeks or more.
Then if you have the proper conditions
of temperature and moisture, you will
have lots of elegant mushrooms. am
surprised that SO few persons turn their
attention to growing these delicious ar
ticles of food.
The Doctor then procured candle and
led the way to his cellar. In a dark,
quiet corner was the bed, and over its
surface were scattered goodly crop Of
newly-born mushrooms. Within few
weeks the Doctor, from bed five feet
square, had gathered couple of bushels
of mushrooms. They varied in size from
hickory nut to child's fist, and were
snowy white within. Altogether this
was an interesting venture. 1t would
seem strange, in view of DR.. Arthurs'
success, why persons accustomed to grow
ing plants for market do not embark in
the business largely. In the vicinity OF
New York is firm making fortune of
of mushroom cave near Hoboken. The
Partisan mushroom caves are wonders in
their way. They are located at Mont.
rouge, near Paris, and are from fifty to
eighty feet below the surface, in caves
left by quarries OF stone. Here q
recent writer saw "seven miles Of
mushroom beds" From Montrougt
the shipments to London alone are about
$4,000 boxes per year, while the consump
ton by Partisan epieures is enormous
one plantation shipping 5000 barrels
daily to the gay capital. The profits o
mushroom growing in the vicinity o
London and Paris, as brought out in {
trial at the former city, are from 100 t.
$50 per cent on the investment. In thi
city but little attention is given to th'
artificial production of mushrooms. Mr.
G. Zug was successful grower for hi
own use, his gardener, Mr.. Lamont, beinI
an enthusiast on the subject.
1t might be added that, according tt
, DIR. Arthurs, an occasional watering o
the bed with a weak solution of ammoni
. stimulates the growth of the mushroom
= greatly, causing them to spring up al
y over the bed. The same bed does no
! need renewing for year 81 more
) and yields its crop all the yea
round, provided the temperature
+ maintained equable. Of the pror
i. critics of tn Sc fungi, an INTEL
q gent grocer writes that of all vegetabl
. produ is there is none which is so muc
j like flesh in regard to taste and favo
: and the amount of nutriment contained
o Another writer adds this singular stat
/ ment: "a single rusty nail in the be
will blast the whole crop"
In view of the facts given, and Of tn
4 additional fact that the few mushroom
o offered for sale in our markets are higl
q :, priced and often of inferior quality, it
strange that the production of these lu,
!, uries is not attempted on large scale
t this city.
/. The danger of gathering and preparir
q a lot of pois nous mushrooms is lessene
e by purchasing pure "spawn" and raisir
d ones own, a la Arthurs, and as to gathe
K ing the mu ,hro0ms in the meadows, ii
o bitter taste Of the wrong kind should
-. a puidn