St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-05-29
THE MUSHROOM.
Nov the Dainty Edible IL Cultivated In
France and America.

Now the Dainty Edible IL Cultivated In
France and America.
Every year thousands of quart cam
containing champignons, or fairy-ring
mushrooms are imported here from
France, and eaten in the leading hotels.
clubs, restaurants and such households
as can afford to use them. They are
costly. often selling at a dollar per
pound. In Europe they are called
'.fairy-ring" mushrooms because Of the
circles of from few feet to several
yards in diameter, of an intensely
bright green color, which are found
here and there on the lawns and past.
ures of England. Ireland and France.
They are caused by the mycellium or
spawn of the mushroom, which having
exhausted the soil within the ring. is
constantly spreading and charging the
circle. France is the great mushroom
producing country of the world. For
nearly half century the communes of
Grand Montrenge, Arcueil. Chatillon,
Bagneaux, Vitry, Maisons-Alfort and
Noisy-le-See, all within reaching dis
lance from Paris. have been devoted
almost exclusively to mushroom cul-
ture. The soil in these districts is poor
and would produce nothing but short
grass and stunted fruit trees. Forty
seven years agO'a country genius hit
upon the idea of utilizing the galleries
of the worked-out and disused guarries
with which the entire district is under
mined. These quarries are now the
greatest mushroom beds in the world,
and the once struggling champignonists
are millionaircs in their way
The galleries. as Il rule, are from
forty to seventy feet below the surface,
and uniform temperature of from
fifty to sixty degrees is maintained in
them. The beds are made of horse
manure, which undergoes a special
treatment before being used. 1t is
thrown in heaps on the sides of the
country roadways, and turned over day
after day until it is thoroughly sun
dried. From it the beds are con-
structed. The manure is laid down
from the walls to the center of the
gallery. being higher by several inches
next the walls. At regular intervals
small footpaths run from the center
aisle to the walls, so that growers may
gather the mushrooms without spelling
the beds. which are one and half
feet deep nearest the walls. On these
beds the spawn is scattered. How this
spawn or seed is gathered is the secret
of the mushroom grower. The beds are
then kept at a temperature of seventy
degrees. Three or four weeks later the
boz raI l., exs.
10 the depth ola half inch, and fort
night later the mushrooms begin to ap-
pear and are gathered every morning
or evening. according to the demands
of the trade. The men who work in
the mushroom galleries begin their toll
at five o'clock in the morning, and do
not cease until late in the evening.
They are paid from five to five and
half francs daily. As an instance
of the enormous fecundity of the
French mushroom beds. it may be
mentioned that one bed at Arceuil,
when in full bearing, sent 3, 900 pounds
OF champignons to the Paris market |
daily. In gathering. the stocks of the
mushrooms are never cut but twisted, |
as cutting Injuries the flavor and spoils
the beds.
While, of course. the delicattessen
market of this country is. and will be
for years. supplied by France with
champignons in the dry canned form.
still mushroom culture has been adopted
as profession by different parties in
this city and the surrounding suburbs
with varied degrees of success, and
some Of the experimenters have kept
on and are now making money. The |
freshly-gathered American champignon
is certainly superior to the French dry
canned article in every way, but it will
take years before the general prejudice
against the native production will be
overcome. Of course, the professional
cooks and restaurant keepers know the
difference and buy the American mush-
room.-N Y Mail and Express.