General Culture of the Beds; and Produce
The covering of litter is to remain constantly on the beds, day and night, in all weathers, only be careful to examine it after hard rains, to remove the wet litter, as before observed. During the Winter season, in time of snow or cold rains, augment the thickness of the covering both of the litter and the mats.
With respect to the produce, the beds begin furnishing Mushrooms in a month or six weeks after spawning: sometimes indeed it will be two or three months, but there is no great success to be expected when they are long before they yield their first crop; a good working bed, if well spawned and managed, commonly affords plenty in six or eight weeks, continuing sometimes for three months together, rising in numerous clusters one under another, covering the surface of the bed, some appearing in embryo, some larger, and others, at the fame time, full sized; but these last should not remain long enough to become large flaps, because they would prove detrimental to the adjoining successional plants, especially when the bed is in full production.
The Autumnal beds, if the spawn is in perfection, generally produce in a shorter time than those made in the middle of Winter, and Spring beds more freely than those of the hot time of Summer.
When it happens that a bed disappoints our expectation, if, upon examination, the spawn appears in life and health, and smells well, you are not to disturb it too hastily, for sometimes, after remaining dormant several months, a bed will break forth all at once into considerable crops. To assist such beds we sometimes, in Winter especially, if the heat appears to be greatly declined, apply a quantity of moderately warm stable litter over the whole, having first some dry litter immediately next the bed, then the warm litter a foot thick over that; which often, by its kindly warmth, vegetates into life the inactive spawn.
Be very careful to see that the beds remain sufficiently defended with proper dry litter, never exposing them to the open air, in cold weather especially, except just to gather the produce; or, occasionally, when they have received too much wet, in order to dry the surface for an hour or so in a fine day; or to remove casual wet or decayed litter next the bed, till fresh is added in its room; directly covering the whole over again of the proper thickness with perfectly dry litter.
If after excessive rains, the covering receive wet, so as to penetrate a considerable way through, let it be as soon as possible, turned off with a light fork, in a dry time of the day; removing the wet litter next the bed quite away, and directly adding some dry.
Likewise when the litter by long lying on the bed decays, or becomes any way dungy, it should be removed and fresh dry litter applied.
In very cold weather, when beds not naturally worn-out, suddenly decline, it is for want of a proper warmth, which try to recover by applying warm dry litter, as already mentioned.
In very dry hot weather occasionally open the beds then in bearing, and refresh them with a moderate sprinkling of water, or a moderate shower, covering them up again.