Of gathering the Mushrooms.
Though the first production is sometimes six or eight weeks or more after spawning before it appears, at the end of a month begin to examine the progress and working of the bed, and if successful, you will discover the running and knotting of the spawn abundantly; the Mushrooms will soon after begin to advance plenteously all over the bed, when they may be gathered as they are wanted.
In proceeding to gather them, chuse dry weather, especially during the cold seasons, and turn off the litter on one side first. Gather those above the size of good middling round buttons, with a gentle twist of the hand, head and stalk together; and be careful, in their clusters not to disturb the young successional ones which are advancing just within and out of the surface; lay them gently in a basket, and search quite to the bottom of the bed; not permitting any to remain to become large flaps unless such are particularly wanted, as sometimes they are.
As soon as you have finished gathering, cover the bed over again directly with the litter, and if in Winter with mats also.
If the bed is in full production it will probably afford two or three gatherings weekly, afterward not above once a week or fortnight, but generally examine it once a week, as long as it is expected to bear.
A Mushroom-bed seldom furnishes any abundance after two or three months; it has often done its best in six weeks.
When, however, the bed has totally ceased to produce, it will furnish a supply of spawn for other beds, and the dung will be excellent manure to wheel on the kitchen ground. Be careful in pulling it to pieces, to preserve the fresh good lumps of spawn, and lay them up dry, as formerly directed, till they shall be wanted for new beds.
FINIS.