The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-05-25
GROWING MusHRooMA.

0HOWINo MOSrnOOmo.
A reader livirg at Massillon. O..
writes making inquiry about the rails
Ing of mushrooms. Since there may
be other readers who are interested In
this subject we give the Following
general directions relative to growing
them. Mushrooms may be grown In
any place where conditions OF temper
AZURE and moisture are favorable. The
proper temperature ranges from o3 to
GO degrees F., with the most favorable
at from 65 to IS degrees. Experience
has demonstrated that 1t Is unsafe to
attempt to grow them on CONNER
eiaf scale where the temperature Will
be much less than 80 or more than W
degrees. 1t will be seen that the con-
ditions here named will be found In
caves. warm cellars. basement stables
and greenhouses, while during the
spring and fall they could be grown
In sheds or under other shelters where
right temperatures could be maintain
ed. The next requisite Is the bed,
This Is usually made Of horse manure
from well bedded stables containing
moderate amount Of straw or other lit
ter. first treating 1t by putting 1t IN
der cover In broad piles three or four
feet deep and allowing to cure Tor
from twelve to eighteen days. at In
tervals of two or three days the ma
nure should be forked over and made
into a new pile to prevent excessive
heating II 1t gets too hot, indicated
by turning white. or too dry water
should be sprinkled on to make 1t
moist, but not wet When the tenn
perature OF the pile has gone down to
100 degrees 1t is ready for use. After
selecting the place for the bed layer
of the coarsest of the manure should
be spread and firmly tramped down.
Succeeding layers should be added and
trampea In the same manner until the
bed Is from twelve to fourteen inches
thick. The wall of the building will
furnish a retainer for the rear of the
bed. and board OF the desired width
will do for the front, with the wall or
boards for the ends. Sometimes one
part of rich soil is used with four or
/ five parts of manure. some of the soil
being added with each layer of ma
nure. but this Is not essential. The
bed will heat and later cool, and when
thermometer inserted to a depth of
several inches shows temperature of
- degrees the spawn may be planted.
This is got in the shape Of dried ma
nure bricks from leading seed houses
Before being used the bricks should
be broken into pieces about two inches
in diameter and these planted at a
depth Of two inches In holes from
eight to ten inches apart each way.
the pieces of spawn being pressed
firmly into place. These holes should
be filled and the manure and soil
packed down firmly. For about
week after planting the spawn the bed
should be given a loose covering OF
excelsior or straw. This is then re-
moved and the bed covered evenly
with a layer of about an inch and
half of rich soil. which serves as a
blanket to retain the moisture of the
bed and gives n cleaner place In which
the mushrooms may form. II the
spa n Is good ard bed has been care
fully made mushrooms should begin to
appear In the course of FIVE or six
weeks. They are ready to pick when
the gills beneath the umbrella are
bright pink color. and they continue In
an edible condition until the gills have
/ turned to a dark brown or black. The
bed should be kept moist with light
sprinkling couple of times week.
! bed will continue productive for
from five weeks to as many months,
and the yield per square foot Of bed
ranges from one-half to two pounds
Mushrooms will net the producer all
the way from 35 to 70 cents pound.
depending upon quality. demand, etc.
AS soon as bed ia done fruitng II Is
worthless for future use. and all the
manure and earth should be removed
md entirely new material provided for
the next crop. While there are good
returns In the growing of mushrooms,
there are also risks. which must be
taken into account. and II is well for
those planning to go into the business
to try II at first on a small scale.
Those planning to raise mushrooms
j would do well to send to the depart
ment Of agriculture at Washington
for farmers bulletin No. 204. which
goes into the subject In detail.