The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-06-26
MUSHROOM GROWING.

| As general result Of his expert
| ence in mushroom culture, Professor
| Waugh expresses the opinion that
| mushrooms can often be grown profit
| ably as a catch crop In cellars or I'M
| der greenhouse benches, where condi-
| tions are favorable. 1t is quite plain.
| however, from our experience, that the
| stories Of sudden wealth accommodating
from mushroom growing, are mostly
| fictitious"
T.. f. Pernot, of the Oregon station,
urges that while the growing OF
mushrooms is an easy matter, reauir-
ing hut little time and attention, we
must not neglect to utilize the abund-
ance which grow wild requiring only
the effort Of gathering and preserving
them for future use" He states that
mushrooms may be canned easily as
! fruit and much easier than some vege
| tables He says: The buttons, rang
ing in size from the smallest to those
| with the cup breaking from the stem,
are the most desirable for canning, as
| they remain firm and white after be-
| ing heated When sufficient buttons
are gathered they are cleaned by peel
ing, or by wiping with a cloth, remov-
ng any soiled spots or earth which
| may have adhered to them. the stems
are cut off, leaving from one-half to
| one inch remaining attached to the
| cap They may then be placed In
| granite-iron Kettle and heated with
| out water until shriukage ceases,
after which they are placed in cans
that have previously been cleaned and
scalded. aud the liquor poured over
them, completely AllIng the can.
"If desired, the mushrooms may be
stewed IN milk. or prepared IN any
manner for he table and then canned.
When the can Is opened they require
heating only before serving.
"A good use 10 make of the older
mushrooms is to dry them This may
be done after they have been peeled
or cleaned by placing them upon
boards or drying racks only one deep
and exposing them TO the sun and air
Beginning with the cap side down,
they should be turned over every day
and must not he left out during the
night, as they absorb moisture very
rapidly They may also be dried upon
wooden trays In a warm room. When
dried by either method until they feel
dry to the touch, finish them in the
oven and while brittle grind them into
powder with spice mill, or even a
coffee mill will answer the purpose,
The powder should ut once be placed
into well-stoppered. dry bottles 'or
fruit jars, well sealed and kept In a
warm, dry place. Mushrooms that
are wet cannot be successfully dried.
The best are those which grow ana are
gathered dry.
Mushroom powder keeps very well
and il Is one OF the most delicious
havorng condiments OF The kitchen, II
milk is used In making meat gravy OF
other dishes, the favor is much more
pronounced.
Take all the mushrooms that can
not be used for canning and drying, OF
all goods ones, If desired place then
In an earthen jar and sprinkle sal
over them, stirring SO that all receive
the salt; allow them to stand fol
twelve hours; then mash and strail
through cloth. For every quart o
the liquid add one-half teaspoonfu
ground ginger and one-half teaspoon
tul black pepper, Boil In granite
iron kettle until 1t Is reduced not les
than one-third. Prepare the bottle
by cleaning and thoroughly boiling
them and their corks then FIJI to thu
neck with no: catsup, cork tightly ant
when the cork has dried and before
I they are cold, dip the cork and abou
half an inch Of the bottle neck int
hot canning wax, previously meltet
In q cup or can II Is advisable Il
use rather small-szed bottles SO tina
the contents may be used before re
naming open too long"