Washington sentinel., 1899-02-11


bright and exhilaratIng, is fairly
familiar to us all, but underground
Paris, dark, solitary and damp, ex.
tending for miles, is comparatively
unknown. A part OF this area is
devoted to the catacombs-a valley
OF dry bones, a garden Of the dead;
the rest, a garden still more vast,
provides Tor the wants, or rather
the luxuries, of the living-it is
devoted to mushroom culture.
These subteTranean gardens ex-
tend for some twenty miles under
the gay capital, and are from 20
feet to 100 feet beneath the surface.
II is very difficult to obtain per-
mission to visit them, and even
when permission is obtained it re-
quires some courage TO avail one.
self OF il, for the only entrance is a
circular opening like the mouth of
a well, out oil which a long pole
stands; through this pole, fastened
at the top only, at fairly long inter
vaIs. sticks are thrust. This primi-
tive ladder, the base of which
swings like a pendulum in the inn
penetrable darkness below, is the
only means OF reaching the caves.
The Champignoniste who, tor a
consideration and after consider
able hesitation, finally agreed to
show us over his cave garden en-
couraged US by relating that once
a proprietor got lost in his own
cave and was not discovered for
three days, although soldier vol
unteeTs were sent in search Of him.
We also recalled the recent MUIR
der Of a bank cashier, and the con-
cealment and cremation OF his
body in the kiln OF one of these
caves. Slowly and with many
iears-foT M companion-I de-
scended that shaft in Cimmerian
gloom, and found myself plunged
ankle-deeD in mud, and the for
eign language" became familiar to
me for the moment. This is but
the first platform. said our guide.
you have TO descend two more
yet, IT you wish to see the whole"
Tofeceive information and instruc-
ton while lying on a mushroom
bed, in place where you can't sit or
stand up, is not ones idea Of the
pleasures OF journalistic career.
The culture of the mushroom, al
though now carried on all over
France, originated in Paris. and
there IT has been brought to such
a state OF perfection that it forms
an important industry. Disused
stone quaries are utilized for
these mushroom gardens, the in
teriors OF which may be compared
to vast rock temples, with CALLER
les TadIatlng in every direction.
These caves are diyided among
different owners, and are under
Government supervision, and are
periodically inspec' ed, These in
spections do not really amount to
much, for only the owners them
selves are familiar with the wind
ing passages, and without their di.
rectlon and guidance no supervis-
ion would be possible. Among
the ancients, who we'll understood
the use of hot beds, there were
three methods of cultivating this
delicacy. The first consisted in
frequently watering the stump of
a fig tree we'll covered with man
ure; second, in watering the stump
OF a black poplar with wine and
water; third, in frequently water
ing the soil with water in which
laurel leaves had been boiled.
These methods could not, oil
course, propagate mushrooms of
themselves, but would facilitate
their propagation. Mushroom
growing is very expensive at first
to the cultiVators. The most per
feet cleanliness has to be observed
near the beds, which are about
twenty-five inches high and about
the same in diameter; they are
covered over with silver sand and
a whitish clay, and run in parallel
lines, with only a narrow path be-
tween.
Mushroom farmers contract and
pay so much per month for the
manure oil the horses Of Paris.
This has to be carted to the station |
and loaded, and perhaps carted a |
couple Of miles afterwards to the
quarries. There it is made into
fiat heaps near the entrance to the
shaft, and turned over and we'll |
mixed and watered for about five
or six weeks, or, in some cases, |
only three weeks, before the neces- |
sarv fermentation takes place. |
When the manure Tin which virgin |
spawn exists naturally is suffi- |
GENTLY prepared, it is shot down
through one oil the shafts into the |
caves.
A mushToom-grower has to con
tend against rats and parasites Of |
various kinds. AS a remedy against /
the first evil, cats are kept IN these
cloisters; but sometimes they catch
their prey but do not eat it, and the
mushrooms suffer from the decay
Of organic matter. Among the
parasites, a cryptogamic, rejoicing
in the name of MYc0gRe yOSea,
which penetrates into the pores of.
the fungi, causes a loss estimated
at not less than $40, 900 per annum
in the Partisan caves alone. The
smallest particle OF iron in the beds
ofmanure is avoided by the spawn:
coal has also the same effect, a
large circle around the obnoxious
object remaining barren. A spite
full employe wishing to injure his
master need only stick a rusty nail