The Washington herald., 1907-01-06
PROFIT IN The MUSHROOM
New Orleans Man Has Developed a
Productive Industry.
Restaurants Take His Entire Prod
uct ut - Cents a Pound-HoN
the Fungus In Grown
From the New Orleans Picayuus

Prom The New Orleans PicayuHs-
Mushrooms are now being grown IN this
city in quantities. and the leading hotels
and French restaurants are being sup
piled from the local farm. the product Of
which is said 10 equal if not surpass in
richness and flavor anything Of this spe-
cies i'm the whole country.
Aug G. Freijag is the father Of this
industry in New Orleans. He takes a per
sonal pride ia the work He started out
largely as a matter Of curiosity. Then
he grew a few mushrooms IN boxes and
jars for his own table. and acquired such
skill that some OF the famous French
caterers Of the city urged him 10 grow
the plant for the market Last year he
had "a mushroom farm of l75 square feet
That sounds small for farm, but farm
il was. This year Mir. Frcitag has ex-
tended the scope Of his industry. and al
ready has 90 square feet Of mushrooms
under cultivation. Next season. if all
goes well. DE hopes 90 have three or four
times that amount
\ fair yield IS one pound TO a square
foot. The quoted price paid for these deli
cacies by hotels and restaurants in New
Orleans is - cents per pound. II sold al
private sale and iu choice lots the pr0uuct
brings 81 and sometimes $50 per pound
In Chicago the quoted price in the market
Is 81 per pound
There Is something IN the local climate
that suits the mushroom for it's proper
maturity. Cellars are the places 10 grow
them. The plant requires a damp, dark
place. with stationary temperature
around 50 20 90 degrees. The place must
De kept damp and not allowed 90 dry
Il started last year as a pure expert
ment," said A. c. Freitag founder Of the
industry The experiment was a sue
cess, 50 far as the growing and market
Ing were concerned The product met
ready sale here People became inter
ested, especially the French restaurants.
and they wanted more than I could pos
s.bly produce with my limited facilities.
This season / determined 10 widen out,
and l have about go square feet under
cultivation, but I am not thoroughly
equipped as yet for the industry The
basement ! am using is exposed on three
sides, which permits of too rapid changes
III the temperature and IL does not retain
moisture as ID should.
Fresh cultivated mushrooms. gathered
daily during the season. say December
TO May /. as the beds produce. is a lux
Ury the public Of New Orleans does not
fully appreciate. We have been in the
habit Of eating canned mushrooms. or
those wild specimens gathered by ire
sponsible persons, in many instances, and
found for sale on market stalls For
the sake Of safety these specimens should
be rejected unless the buyer is able 20
judge between the edible and the I'M
wholesome. IN order TO be perfectly safe,
one should rely only on mushrooms grown
vision. Then you know they are all right
and that they are wholesome. The mush-
rooms We are growing here in New Or
leans are the choicest edible species, I. e.,
AgariCus CampestTiS.'
Mr.. Freitag prepares the mushroom
spawn. from which the mushrooms are
grown. This is largely a laboratory pro-
cess, in which the greatest care is re-
quired. II is tissue culture.