be considered as certain that an admixture of the spores of any of these fungi with the grains will endanger the plants raised from them; but it is equally certain that the fungi have little tendency to develop themselves in plants which are vegetating with perfect healthfulness. The wide prevalence of such blights in bad seas: ns is not difficult to account for, if it is true (as, according to the observation of Mr. John Marshall, a few years since, rendered probable) that there are really very few wheat grains near the points of which a few sporules of fungi may not be found entangled among their minute hairs; and it may be fairly surmised that these sporules remain dormant, unless an unfavorable season should favor their development by inducing an unhealthy condition of the wheat-plant. The same general doctrine probably applies to the Botrytis, which from 1847 to the present time has had a large share in producing the "potato disease;" and to the Oidium (see Fig. 11), which has a like relation to the vine disease that has been extending itself for years past through the south of Europe. There seems no doubt that in the fully developed disease the fungus is always present, and that its growth and multiplication have a large share in the increase and extension of the disorder, just as the growth of the yeast-plant excites and accelerates fermentation, and its reproduction enables this action to be indefinitely extended through its instrumentality. But just as the yeast-plant will not vegetate save in a fermentable fluid—that is, in a solution which, in addition to sugar, contains some decomposable albuminous matter-so does it seem probable, on a consideration of all the phenomena of the potato and vine diseases, that neither the botrytis of the one, nor the oidium of the other, will vegetate in perfectly healthy plants, but that a disordered condition, induced either by forcing, and therefore unnatural symptoms of cultivation, or by unfavorable seasons, or by a combination of both, is necessary to a predisposing condition.

ON THE CULTURE OF THE MUSHROOM.

Mr. Vorz, Court Gardener at Sans Souci, says:

"For forty years I have been engaged in the culture of the mushrooms, both in cellars, sheds and hothouses. During this time I have made many experiments and observations, which have resulted in the adoption of the method herein described. Without venturiug to proclaim this method superior to all, I may at least say that by it I have always succeeded in raising mushrooms in sufficient quantity and of superior quality.

"In the month of May I bring a load of horse-dung which is free from straw into a cellar or shed, where there is no current of air. It is there turned daily for twelve or fourteen days with the dung-fork, that fermentation may not take place nor heat be developed. It is then placed in wooden boxes about one foot deep, when it is stamped down firmly with the feet or a wooden rammer. It is then covered to the depth of one inch with good light soil. If this soil in two or three weeks becomes so dry as to crumble under the fingers, it should be moderately watered. Care should be taken, however, not to make it too wet, or the dung beneath will ferment, destroying the young fibres. The watering may be again repeated in about three weeks; but not the third time, unless it should be very dry.

"In three or four, sometimes five months, according to the quality of the soil, this mushroom-brood, with its seed-fibres, is fully developed, which may be known by the multitude of the fibres and their yellow tinge. This bed will furnish fibres for the beds in which they are to perfect their growth.

"These second beds may be placed upon the bare ground in hothouses, under the tiers for plants, where they will be best protected from sun and air. The boxes in which they are made may be movable or immovable. They should be about a foot and a half high, of optional width and length, and are covered with a closely fitting cover of movable boards. These boxes are filled with dung to three or four inches above the top; this is then pressed firmly down to four or five inches below the brim. It is left in this condition for six or eight days, till the first fermentation is over. After that the brood already prepared in the first bed is spread over it to a depth of three or four inches or more, if the brood is of inferior quality. Over this is spread good soil to the depth of three inches, and well leveled.

"In three or four weeks it will be noticed that small white fibres are being developed, and even small mushrooms, which in the course of six or eight days more will be grown to the size of a silver dollar. They should not be allowed to

stand longer, because the pileus then assumes a brown color, the stem becomes hard, begins to die, and is then attacked by a small yellow worm.

"In order to have fresh mushrooms at all times, such beds must be made every six or eight weeks. During the winter they should be inaccessible to frost, and in summer in cool sheds, cellars or hotbeds.

During summer, if the heat be great, it is sometimes necessary to water the plants; but this must be done with great care, for if the dung becomes wet, the whole crop will be destroyed by fermentation.

"In all hothouses, cellars and sheds, where there is old or decaying wood, wood-lice are found in great numbers. These destroy the mushrooms, attacking the pileus and stalk. To prevent this, a careful search should be made every evening, and where young mushrooms make their appearance, they should be covered with earth about half an inch deep, which will not only prevent the attacks of wood-lice, but contribute to the whiteness, size and growth of the mush

rooms.

"The wood-lice may be destroyed as follows: Place wet tow, marrow-bones open at one end, upon the bed. Under these substances the animals will retreat, and may thus be taken and destroyed in great numbers.

"During the many years of my engagement in this branch of culture, a phenomenon which I have never seen mentioned by any writer came to my observation, namely, in heavy thunder-showers the mushrooms, whether young or old, covered or exposed, will suddenly wither and become somewhat discolored, and die in the course of eighteen or twenty hours. In from five to eight days a second growth will appear. This effect is also seen on wild mushrooms and fungi. I think that the effect of thunder is more marked when it occurs during the night than during the day. This subject should be further investigated by physiologists."

METHODS FOR RAISING MUSHROOMS IN ALL SEASONS, PRACTICED IN ENGLAND AND FRANCE. ·

BY MR. G. A. FINTELMAN, court garDENER.

FRANCE. First as to the brood. In the vicinity of Paris the loose brood is mostly in use. This is obtained by no peculiar preparations, but is always found in old beds, often of so good quality and in so great quantity that sometimes it may be sold or preserved in case of failure.

In England this brood is less successful, because the beds are kept more moist in England than in France. We shall have occasion to speak more fully of this when speaking of the methods in use in England.

The fresh dung is packed up as uniformly as possible in heaps of three or three and a half feet high, and well beaten down with the fork. The dung of the top of the heap is thoroughly mixed with half dry dung, which has already begun to rot, to a depth of about six inches. As soon as the heat of the bed begins to de

crease, the loose brood, well mixed with short dung in equal parts, is spread over to the depth of not more than six inches. The bed is then leveled and pressed, and again covered with dung earth to the depth of one inch. If the bed becomes dry, it should be watered.

If the heaps just described be prepared in April and June, and covered with straw or mats, the supply of mushrooms will be sufficient for summer and fallfrom the latter part of May to October it will be most abundant; the mushrooms are taken off small, and are of very fine taste. Beneath a thicker cover, beds prepared later may be made to produce throughout the winter. They are also raised in dark places, protected from cold, from October to May.

In Holland and England mushroom houses are not uncommon, though I have never seen them here. The construction of these houses seldom allows the beds to be built high, but they are well beaten down till they are one foot deep. The brood is not put on till the heat begins to decrease. To allow more freely the escape of heat, holes are made in the bed with a stick. Over the brood rich earth is spread one inch in depth. The crop is begun to be gathered in from four to six weeks. In the open air the beds are made two feet high, and well protected from sun and rain.

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ENGLAND. The yield in England is larger in number and weight than in France. As far as I have seen, the full-grown mushrooms were larger in England, but only once have I found them as fine-flavored as in France, and these were grown by the following simple method at Dalkeith, near Edinburgh, where I was assured by the gardener, Mr. McDonald, that he gathered mushrooms in the open air throughout the year.

In a shady spot the beds are made. They are made of loose brood, old dung and fresh dung, thoroughly mixed. The heaps, pressed down lightly, are two feet high, and three and a half feet wide below. In Great Britain the opinion is prevalent that the so-called tile brood is much better than the loose brood, and therefore the former is used here to increase the germination of the mushrooms, or, as it is said, to impregnate the loose brood. For this purpose pieces of tile brood six to eight inches in size are pressed into the beds upon which the loose brood has been spread. These beds are then covered with straw, and afterwards well protected with light boards. I examined these beds freely, and though it was raining at the time, and the ground was saturated, the beds were in a very good condition, and covered with small, very fine-flavored mushrooms. In six weeks from the time they are made these beds begin to yield, and, with proper care, they will continue to yield throughout the year.

For open-air culture throughout the year the following method is in use in England: Dung which has lain in heaps for some time is made into beds about one foot high. On this is spread loam to the depth of one inch. On this double layer is put a second similar one, and even a third or fourth. But on the last layer no loam is spread. The whole is well beaten down, layer by layer, and covered with straw. In a week or so the straw is taken off, and the tile brood pressed in as above directed, and a very thin layer of earth spread evenly over,

and the cover of straw replaced. A light or heavy cover is required, as the temperature is warm or cold.

The following method of raising mushrooms throughout the year is not generally known: The brood tiles are made of horse and cow dung, mixed with a smaller quantity of earth. Fresh manure is gathered from the stables two or three times a week, and spread upon the floor in a dark place, where they remain for one or two years. They should be examined every day, moistened very little when very dry, and when mould is discovered it should be entirely removed immediately. This may remain so until the time for preparing the beds. The beds which I examined, and found to be covered densely with mushrooms, are placed on boards, one above the other; they are about three feet wide, sloping toward the front. The manure, which has lain for some time, is beaten down till it is from five to six inches deep at the wall, and from three to four inches deep in front. On this fresh stable manure is laid several inches deep, in which the tile brood is placed, at distances of nine inches; over this is spread a layer of loam one inch deep. Covers are then carefully spread over the beds, and held down by poles laid over them lengthwise. Great attention is paid to the proper moisture, and it is for the purpose of draining off all superfluous moisture that the beds are made sloping. In watering, lukewarm water is used.

Besides the above method, another is in frequent use, which costs no more labor, and is less liable to failure. Fresh stable manure is mixed with straw litter of about one-third its mass, and this again mixed with one-fourth its weight of loam. This mixture is spread upon the bed, which is made as indicated in the methods preceding the last, to the depth of three fingers, and the whole is beaten down to a depth of eight inches. After a few days, the mass becoming warm, is again beaten. To prevent fermentation from too much moisture and heat, holes are perforated in several spots with a stick of some size. After the heat has abated, these holes are filled with tile brood or loam. The whole is then covered with a thin layer of loam, as above described. The crop begins to be fit for use in about four weeks. A slight slope to the boards upon which the beds rest would no doubt facilitate the drainage. These beds are only found in closed places, where the temperature may be kept constantly at 50 to 52 deg. Fahrenheit.

All the various methods which I observed in England and France may be included in those described above, though various trifling differences were ob served, which were occasioned by climate and locality.

Which of these methods is preferable, I am unable to decide, and it can only be decided by comparative experiment made in the same place and at the same time. If I were permitted to judge from single observations, I should say that the first two methods described as in use in England were the best; the first on account of the quality, and the second on account of the quantity of the mushrooms. The others appear to be in more general use.

Theory will perhaps determine this question sooner than experiment. The ancient views that mushrooms were built by animals, as corals are, or that they are only so-called crystalline emanations from decaying vegetable matter, have