The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1905-04-08
OF MUSHROOM CAVES
subterranean Fields Of Paris Supply
the City and Much for
Expectation.

Mushrooms are grown In large guam
titles in Paris. They extend some
miles under the city and are from 20
to 160 feet beneath the surface. 1t is
difficult to obtain permission to visit
them. and even when the permission
ds obtained it requires considerable
courage to avail ones self Of the privi-
lege.
The only entrance to the caves is a
hole like a well, out of which long
pole projects Through this pole, fas-
tened at the top only. at long inter
walls, sticks are thrust. This primitive
ladder, which swings like pendulum
in the darkness below, is the only
means of reaching the caves. Disused
stone quarries are used for the caves
and the interiors remind one of a rock
temple with galleries leading in every
direction.
The industry is at first expensive to
cultivators. The most perfect cleanli-
ness must be observed in the beds,
which are covered over with silver
sand and whitish clay and run in
parallel lines, with with only mar
row passage between them.
The manure, collected from the sta
bles of Paris, has perhaps to be car
ried couple of miles to the quarries.
There it is made into fat heaps near
the entrance to the shafts and watered
from three to six weeks before the
necessary fermentation takes place.
When the manure is sufficiently pre-
pared 1t is shot down into the caves
through one of the convenient shafts.
Next comes the formation of the
beds These are one and half feet
wide and high and arranged in rows,
this condition having proved to be best
adapted to bring the manure to the
proper temperature necessary for the
fructification of the fungi. The meth
cd of constructing these beds evenly
is peculiar Each workman sits astride
his bed, as if on horseback, fills his
arms with the manure and presses 1t
down between his legs, thus moving
along the bed with the jolting motion
of the rider. In this manner the beds
are evenly pressed like SO many fur
rows When the beds attain the prop
er temperature the spawn Is sown.
One Of the first republics of mush-
room culture is fresh air. and the
farmer must know just how much
oxygen is necessary for the respiration
of the fungi Air holes are bored here
and there, beneath which in many
places coke fires are lit. This insures
the necessary renewal of fresh air. 1t
is an exceedingly pretty sight to see
the beds when they are in full bear
ing, the less advanced being dotted all
over with white buttons about the size
of a pea, other beds more advanced
being dazzling white.
About 400 pounds are sent to mar
ket every day. and these are gathered
roots and ALL The beds remain in
bearing for from two to six months
and about three months elapse from
the time the beds are prepared till the
first crop is gathered.
Besides supplying the markets OF
Paris, large quantities are exported
and preserved. One grower alone
sends $4,000 boxes of preserved mush-
rooms to London yearly The total
value of the mushroom crop raised
yearly in the Halles Centrales amounts
to 81, 400, 600. Over 1000 workmen are
employed, and the length of the caves
is more than five miles.