s; at all events the odour will not be objectionable, but may be
suggestive of Mushrooms. Make a long bed, having a base about four feet
wide, and sides sloping to a ridge like the roof of a house, with this
difference--the narrow part of the ridge is useless, and the top should,
therefore, be rounded off when about a foot across. Some growers prefer
a circular bed of six or eight feet diameter at the bottom and tapering
towards a point, after the shape of a military tent; but here again the
point will be worthless, and the bed may terminate abruptly. Either the
long bed or the round heap answers admirably. Tread the manure down
compactly, and for the sake of appearances endeavour to finish it off in
a workmanlike manner. During the first few days there will be a
considerable rise in the temperature, which will gradually subside, and
when the plunging thermometer shows that it has settled down to a
comfortable condition of about 80 deg. the bed must be spawned. Experienced
men can determine by the sense of touch when the temperature is right,
but the inexperienced should rely entirely on the thermometer. The
question will arise as to the period of the year when operations should
be commenced. Well, the experts who grow Mushrooms in the open ground
for market gather crops almost the year round; but a beginner will do
wisely to start under the most favourable natural conditions, and these
will be found about midsummer, because the bed will commence bearing
before winter creates difficulty as to temperature.

==Spawning and After-management.==--Break each cake of spawn into eight or
ten pieces, and force every piece gently a little way into the manure at
regular intervals of six to nine inches all over the bed, closing the
manure over and round each piece of spawn. The practice of inserting
spawn by means of the dibber is to be strongly condemned, for it leaves
smooth, hollow spaces which arrest the mycelium; and very small pieces
of spawn should be avoided because they generally result in small
Mushrooms. Immediately the spawning is completed, a thick and even
covering of clean straw or litter of some kind should be laid over the
bed, secured from wind by canvas, mats, hurdles, or in some other way.
From good spawn the films of mycelium will begin to extend within a
week. In the contrary case an examination of the pieces will show that
they have become darker than when put into the bed, which means that
they have perished.