CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1908-01-23
4Ev1L is NOT POWER.

Many leLterS are TeC6lVeO 6L tu0
Colorado Agricultural college each
fall and winter in which inquiries are
mushrooms. One should know some
thing of the nature and requirements
of the plant before attempting TO grow
it. This is particularly true of mush-
rooms, since there are no other hord-
cultural plants like them. Because of
lack of this knowledge many people
fail, and this is not surprising. as they
are regarded as the most exacting OF
plants.
Mushrooms belong to a vast family
of plants which have no green color
ing matter and produce neither fiow-
ers nor seeds. Lacking the green COLI
oring matter, they are unable to man
ufacture plant food SO must live upon
that which has been prepared by high
er plants Thus we find them growing
upon decaying wood and upon de-
composed manure. Many of the kinds
which are found growing in the wild
are poisonous and none should be
eaten without ascertaining for GER
tainty that they are edible.
But one kind is commonly grown
artificially; this is known as "aguricus
compestris. The seed-like organs.
called spores. cannot ordinarily be
used in propagation, but in their place
the root-like parts are used. This ma
terial, called spawn, comes in the
shape of bricks which contain the un-
derground portions of the plants in
dormant form. Any seedman can sup
ply spawn.
Mushrooms do not require light In
which to grow, consequently beds are
frequently made in cellars. Any cell
lar or cave in which the temperature
does not go much below so degrees
may be used. An average Of 55 de-
grees will be found to be about right
A framework should be made for
the beds OF any convenient length and
width. but deep enough to contain
about twelve inches of compost after
1t has been well packed. Fresh horse
manure that is nearly free from straw
or litter. is commonly used to grow
mushrooms in, and should be gath
cred as rapidly as possible. The man
ure is placed in a pile SO as to In
duce fermentation, but 1t must be
turned daily to prevent burning.
The heat will soon become intense,
and after a few days It will subside:
after this stage has passed the manure
may be placed In the beds. IL should
be put In layers and each layer Is
packed as hard as possible by pound
ing with brick or mallet. The tenn
perature OF the compact must be
watched closely by inserting ther-
mometer into the bed. When It
reaches 80 degrees the spawn should
be planted. The bricks Of dried
spawns are broken into pieces about
the size of walnut and inserted into
holes In the manure, about three
inches deep and four or five inches
apart. The surface should be pressed
down firm after planting. In about
ten days coating of good loamy soil
| Is put on the beds two Inches thick:
! this should also be well frmed. then
the beds are covered with hay or
straw. II everything has been done
just right no further attention will be
required until the mushrooms begin to
appear. The air OF the room must
De kept udHIp, anu u tic oSuS "'-
come dry. moisture must be sup
piled. Water should be applied spar
ingiy, however. and the less need
there is for Its application the bet
ter.
IL everything goes right. which is
doubtful. one may expect crop In
four weeks, II there are no results at
the end of three months.
The limits OF this article permit
of only the barest outline of mush-
room culture, but II Will serve to
show that mushroom growing Is
something OF trade in itself We
would strongly advise all who con-
template growing this crop to send to
the department OF agriculture at
Washington. for their bulletins on this
subject.
w. PADDOCK,
Professor OF Horticulture and Botany.
Colorado Agricultural College, Fort
Collins Coin