The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-03-27
CHICAGO MUSHROOMS
Development Of a Unique Industry
in the Big City.
lfany Tons OF the Fungoid Edible
Raised for Home Consumption
and shipment--some Details
of the work.


| developed an additional claim to
fame. 1t has become the mushroom
center Of the United States and one
of the largest producers Of the edible
fungus in the world, reports the
Tribune. From the scattering cellar
beds that ten years ago produced all
the mui hrooms grown in the city
there has developed an industry re-
curing acres of low brick and wood
structures and the employment OF
hundreds of men and women.
For the last two or three years
Chicago has produced annually from
60 to rs tons of mushrooms. The
city has itself nursed the industry
and made it what it is, for OF the
rs tons which 1t is estimated the city
mushroom growers will put out be-
fore the present season ends, In
June, Chicago is expected to consume
in its hotels, clubs, restaurants and
private homes some so tons. This
represents the average annual con-
sumption in the city, the remainder
of the crop being shipped to nearby
cities.
The Chicago mushroom is said to
be much sought after by restaurants
and hotels in the larger cities OF the
west and northwest, because OF It's
superior flavor, due to the high state
of cultivation reached through ex-
periments with soils and water and
femperatures by the larger growers
here.
The Chicago mushroom is also de-
clared to spring up just trlne
quicker than the proverbial mush-
room. The usual time of five or six
weeks is required for the spawn,
which is imported from Europe, to
reach the top of the earth, but once
the growth breaks through the soil
and into the Chicago air the mush-
room makes better time in reaching
it's full growth, it is said, than it
would anywhere else on earth.
The largest mushroom producer in
the city, and one Of the largest in
the world, Chicago pioneer, who
was born in Fort Dearborn in 1896,
with his son, who is now associated
with him in the business, has housed
in seven low brick structures, stand
ing partly under and partly over
ground, $1,000 square feet of beds,
from which during the height OF the
season is taken ton of mushrooms
a week.
Inside the structures are tiers
upon tiers of board foored, bunklike
beds. reaching from the gravel floor
to the ceiling. In each bed there Is
a LAYER of half foot of manure.
with topping of two inches OF rich
soil. Five tons of manure and soil
are required each year for the beds
of this one farm. Thirty women.
who during the mushroom season act
as pickers, are kept busy in June and
July turning the manure in the sun
and preparing it for the beds. Wom-
en- are hired in preference to men.
because they exhibit greater care in
the work Of curing the manure. upon
which largely depends the success or
failure Of the years crop.
The laying of the beds is begun in
July. the manure and soil being car
ried over the top of the buildings in
cars and dumped into the beds
through traps in the roof.
Spawning the bedsfs the next oper-
alton. The Jackson beds require 10000
pounds of spawn, or mycelium, which
is a network of white, threadlike fiber
running through compost of manure
and loan and nodded in the form of
brick nine inches long, five inches
wide and two inches thick. The bricks
are broken up into small pieces and
planted deep down in the manure,
After the spawning the grower
spends six weeks of anxiety over his
beds, failures due to poor spawn be-
ing not unusual. The first indications
above ground of a successful crop are
patches of white here and there, the
mushroom being no larger than
pin head at its first appearance above
ground. If the crop is to be par
ticularly large one, the white is pre-
ceded by a blush mold. showing in
spots over the entire bed.
The mushrooms are picked morning
and afternoon, packed in the evening.
and sent to the downtown hotels.
clubs. restaurants and commission
houses the following morning. On
the farm in Bowmanville the whole
force Of 30 women is employed in pick
ing during the busy season. 1t has
been estimated that one man, to pick
the combined length of all the beds.
would have to walk four miles in the
operation.
Each mushroom is picked separately
and placed in a bushel basket. They
are then packed in one pound boxes
and sent to market in three grades
No. /, the perfect, large-sized mush.
room; No. 2. the smaller or "button"
size, and No. 3, the deformed and
broken caps.
The brick of manure and loan and
seed, which is the beginning of the
is made in England and
Holland and imported into the United
l. III -. l.. IL