singly, or, as is the case with the paper boxes, several packed together
in crates or boxes. In sending directly to hotels, cheap baskets,
holding one or several pounds--Mr. Gardner's baskets hold twelve
pounds--are often used, but in sending to commission merchants, who
have to deal them out in quantities to suit customers, mushrooms should
always be packed in one, two, three or four pound boxes or baskets,
preferably one pound. Mushrooms are not like potatoes or apples, that
can be handled, remeasured, and repacked without damaging them. Each
rehandling will certainly discolor and perhaps break a good many of
them, rendering them unsalable, if not worthless.

The utmost care in gathering and packing of mushrooms for shipping is of
primary importance. Gather them the moment they are in best condition,
no matter whether or not they are to be packed and shipped the same day;
never let them blow open before gathering them; and never cut off short
stems. Long stems have to be shortened, but not until everything is
ready to pack them. With a very soft hair brush dust off any earth that
may stick to the cap of the mushroom, and with a harder brush or the
back of a knife rub the earth off of the root end of the stem. Then sort
the mushrooms,--the big ones by themselves, the middle-sized by
themselves, the small or button-sized ones by themselves, and pack each
kind by itself. Pack very firmly without bruising, and so as to show the
pretty caps to the best advantage. Never pack mushrooms more than two
deep without using plenty of soft paper between the layers, and never
put a heavy bulk of them into one box or basket. They discolor so easily
that, all things considered, about a pound is enough in a box, if we
wish them to carry safely and retain their bright, fresh skin without
tarnishing.

Mr. Barter, of London, writes me: "The punnets we use for marketing our
mushrooms in are the same that are used for strawberries or peaches.
These hold just one pound, but it is becoming more customary now to have
little boxes made holding from three to five pounds, as these are better
for packing in larger cases for long journeys."

CHAPTER XVIII.

RE-INVIGORATING OLD BEDS.

There is a wide-spread impression among horticulturists that worn out
beds which have ceased to bear may, by means of watering and certain
stimulants and warming up again, be so re-invigorated as to start into
full bearing, and yield a second and a good