sible to maintain a fairly moist condition of the atmosphere, and
having such capability for ventilation as will cause at least a
gradual evaporation, is necessary. With too rapid ventilation and
the consequent necessity of repeated applications of water to the
mushroom bed, no mushroom crop will attain the highest perfection.

Even a little iron rust in the soil is reported as fatal to the
Campestris, the only fungus so far successfully propagated.

If other fungi than the Campestris come up wild, don't throw them
away as worthless. Many are better eating than the one you seek, and
you can avoid the risk of poisonous ones by learning to recognize
the dangerous family--send for the Agricultural Department's
Bulletin No. 204. Meanwhile, (1) all mushrooms with pink gills, (2)
all coral-like fungi, (3) all that grow on wood, and (4) all
puffballs, are good to eat if they are young and tender--only don't
mistake an unspread Aminita for a puffball.

An ingenious person may find other sources of income in the country.
A young hotel porter in Ulster County, New York, bought seventy
acres of mountain woodland four miles from the railroad for two
hundred and fifty dollars, and puts in his winters cutting barrel
hoops, at which he makes two dollars a day. Meanwhile the land is
maturing timber. That is hard work, but to gather wild mushrooms or
to cut willows, or sweet pine needles to make cushions, or to catch
young squirrels for sale, is lighter, if less steady employment.

And with all our uses of land, we must not forget a little corner
for the hammock and the croquet hoops for the wife and the children.
In the Province of Quebec, where the land is held in great tracts
under the Seigniors, I have seen croquet grounds no bigger than a
bed quilt in front of the little one-room cottages.

The Frenchman knows the importance of such things as that, has meals
out of doors in fine weather, goes on little picnics, and keeps
madame contented in the country.

A swing, or a seesaw, and a tether ball (a ball swinging from the
top of a pole eight feet high) for the children will help to keep
the family peace.

CHAPTER XIII

FRUITS

Fruit raising can succeed in either of two ways. Either planting the
orchard in some one fruit and specializing thereon, or diversifying
the operation to cover many varieties. In the first way it is usual
to establish orchards in favorable localities without special regard
to nearness to mark