Product Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.—Those Who Should Grow Mushrooms
Market Gardeners— Florists— Private Gardeners— Village People and Suburban Residents— Farmers. browse

CHAPTER II.—Growing Mushrooms in Cellars
Underground Cellars— In Dwelling House— Mr. Gardner's Method— Mr. Denton's Method— Mr. Van Siclen's Method— The Dosoris Mushroom Cellar.

CHAPTER III.—Growing Mushrooms in Mushroom Houses
Building the House— Mrs. Osborne's Mushroom House— Interior Arrangement of Mushroom Houses— Mr. Samuel Henshaw's Mushroom House.

CHAPTER IV.—Growing mushrooms in Sheds
The Temperature of Interior of the Bed— Shelf Beds— The Use of the Term Shed.

CHAPTER V.—Growing Mushrooms in Greenhouses
Cool Greenhouses— On Greenhouse Benches— In Frames in the Greenhouses— Orchard Houses— Under Greenhouse Benches— Among Other Plants on Greenhouse Benches— Growing Mushrooms in Rose Houses— Drip from the Benches— Ammonia Arising.

CHAPTER VI.—Growing Mushrooms in the Fields
Mushrooms often appear Spontaneously— Wild Mushrooms— Mr. Henshaw's Plan— Brick Spawn in Pastures.

CHAPTER VII.—Manure for Mushroom Beds
Horse Manure— Fresher the Better— Manure of Mules— Cellar Manure— City Stable Manure— Baled Manure— Cow Manure— German Peat Moss Stable Manure for Mushroom Beds— Sawdust Stable Manure for Mushroom Beds— Tree Leaves— Spent Hops.

CHAPTER VIII.—Preparation of the Manure
Preparing out of Doors— Warm Sunshine— Fire-fang— Guard Against Over Moistening— The Proper Condition of the Manure— Loam and Manure Mixed.

CHAPTER IX.—Making up the Mushroom Beds
The Thickness of the Beds— Shape of the Beds— Bottom-heat Thermometers— The Proper Temperature— Too High Temperature— Keep the House at 55°.

CHAPTER X.—Mushroom Spawn
What is Mushroom Spawn?— The Mushroom Plant— Spawn Obtained at any Seed Store— Imported from Europe— The Great Mushroom-growing Center of the Country— English Spawn— Mill-track Mushroom Spawn— Flake or French Spawn— Virgin Spawn— How to Keep Spawn— New Versus Old Spawn— How to Distinguish Good from Poor Spawn— American-made Spawn— How to make Brick Spawn— How to make French (flake) Spawn— Making French Virgin Spawn— A Second Method— Third Method— Relative Merits of Flake and Brick Spawn.

CHAPTER XI.—Spawning the Beds
Preparing the Spawn— Steeped Spawn— Flake Spawn— Transplanting Working Spawn.

CHAPTER XII.—Loam for the Beds
Cavities in the Surface of Beds— The Best Kind of Loam— Common Loam— Ordinary Garden Soil— Roadside Dirt— Sandy Soil— Peat Soil or Swamp Muck— Heavy, Clayey Loam— Loam Containing Old Manure.

CHAPTER XIII.—Earthing Over the Beds
Loam is Indispensable— The Best Soil— Proper Time to Case Beds— Inserting the Spawn— Sifting the Soil— Firming the Soil— Green Sods.

CHAPTER XIV.—Topdressing with Loam
Beds that are in Full Bearing— Filling up the Holes— Firming the Dressing to the Bed— Beds in which Black Spot has Appeared.

CHAPTER XV.—The Proper Temperature
Covering the Beds with Hay— A High Temperature— In a Temperature of 50°— In a Temperature of 55°— Boxing Over the Bed.

CHAPTER XVI.—Watering Mushroom Beds
Artificially Heated Mushroom Houses— Sprinkling Water over Mulching— Watering Pots— Manure Water— Preparing Manure Water— Common Salt— Sprinkling the Floors— Houses Heated by Smoke Flues— Manure Steam for Moistening the Atmosphere.

CHAPTER XVII.—Gathering and Marketing Mushrooms
When Mushrooms are Fit to Pick— Picking— The Advantages of Pulling over Cutting— Pulled Mushrooms— Gathering Field or Wild Mushrooms— Marketing Mushrooms.

CHAPTER XVIII.—Re-invigorating Old Beds
Worn Out Beds— Spurts of Increased Fertility— A Spent Mushroom Bed— Living Spawn.

CHAPTER XIX.—Insect and Other Enemies
Maggots— Black Spot— Manure Flies— Slugs— "Bullet" or "Shot" Holes— Wood Lice— Mites— Mice and Rats— Toads— Fogging Off— Flock— Cleaning the Mushroom Houses.

Mushroom Spores, Farming & MORE