The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-12-22
A MUSHROOM SCHEME.

A correspondent in North Carolina
writes:
Il enclose you a circular from the
Company, OF New York, recommending
the mushroom industry. Please give ne
your opinion to such an industry
here, and how they may be grown profit
ably" The circular enclosed has no re-
sponslble name attached, and we are un-
able to say whether the Company is
responsible or not. The circular tells
OF great profits that be made in grow
ing mushrooms, and says that the Com
pany'' will contract to buy all that are
grown from spawn furnished by then.
at current" prices. We suppose they
intended current prices. But they say,
with apparent fairness, that you need not
buy spawn from them, but can get it
anywhere, and they will buy the crop il
a tampIe OF the spawn is sent to them
for inspection to see that it IS all right
Otherwise they will not contract for tie
crop. Now here is the Niger In the
Wood-plle." They offer spawn at ST u
box, and do not say what the box weighs,
but do say that the dollars worth VIII
spawn bed 3x5 feet. This will be pretty
expensive spawning, for you can spawn
more bed than that with twenty cents
worth CT the ordinary brick spawn. Doubt
tell you that 1t is not good and you must
get theirs. The fact is that no one can
tell anything about the quality of spawn
until 1t is tried. The whole thing looks
like a scheme to sell spawn for a big
price to inexperienced men, who will ut
terly tail to grow any crop, and, OF
course, the sellers of the spawn will have
none to pay for. There is no necessity
for contracting with people who are afraid
or ashamed to put their names on their
circulars, for mushrooms are staple ar
tIcla on the market, and will always
sell If in good condition. But the chances
are that an inexperienced man will fail
in the first attempt to grow mushrooms
It is easy enough after you get the hang
of it, but little omissions often spoil the
crop. Then the circular says that they
can be grown in a room in the house
or IN the cellar, and will make the cellar
more wholesome; all of which is pure
nonsense, for no one wants q termenting
bed of compost in his house. and it Will
not be pleasant in a cellar under a dwell
ing but should be in some frost-proof
building outside. You can get plenty OF
good spawn from the leading scedsmen
for 25 cents a pound by the single pound,
and a good deal less in quantity. There
is little chance for making a profit in
growing muSuTOOILS III NOiCu \-dIollEA
to ship North. They must be grown near
the market and where an abundant sup
ply of fresh horse manure can be had at
all times. Of course you can grow some
for home use in a cellar but for CON-
mercial purposes you will want a struc
ture specially built for them. II you will
write to the secreatry of Agriculture.
Washington, D. c., and ask 1or copy OF
Farmers Bulletin No. SO, "How to Grow
Mushrooms" it will tell yea all about it,
and then if you get crop at the first
effort will be surprised. Mushrooms
are quite profitable near a large market,
when gown by men who are skilled in tie
culture. But our advice is to let severely
alone any parties who offer to furnish
seed or stock OF any kind and want to
get you to contract to sell them the crop
- Never heard of any such parties keeping
a contract.