TOPDRESSING WITH LOAM.
In beds that are in full bearing or a little past their best we often
find multitudes of very small or what we call "pinhead" mushrooms, that
seem to be sitting right on the top of the loam, or clumps that have
been raised a little above the surface by growing in bunches, or what we
term "rocks"; now a topdressing of finely sifted fresh loam, about
one-fourth to one-half inch thick, spread all over the bed, will help
these mushrooms materially without doing any of them harm. But while
this topdressing assists all mushrooms that are visible above ground, no
matter how small they may be when the dressing is applied, I am not
convinced that it induces greater fertility in the spawn, or, in other
words, induces the spawn to spread further and produce more mushrooms
than it would were no topdressing applied. I know that this is contrary
to the opinions and writings of many, at the same time it is according
to my own observation.
Go over the bed very carefully and pick out every soft or "fogged-off"
mushroom, no matter how small it may be, and root out every bit of old
mushroom stem or tough spongy material formed by it, and in this way get
the bed thoroughly cleaned. Then fill up all the holes caused by pulling
the mushrooms or rooting out the old stumps, and when the whole surface
is level apply the topdressing evenly all over the face of the bed,
avoiding, as much as possible, burying the well advanced mushrooms.
While it would be very well to pack the dressing smoothly over the bed,
it is impracticable; we may press it gently with the back of the hand on
the bare spots between the mushrooms, but we should not even do this
over the mushrooms, no matter how tiny they may be, else many of the
"pinheads" will be injured and cause "fogging off."
But we can firm the dressing to the bed by watering it, which may be
done over the whole surface of the bed, and without sparing the
mushrooms, large or small. Use clear water and apply it gently through a
water-pot rose. I always do this, and have never known it to injure the
young mushrooms.
In the case of mushroom beds in which black spot has appeared in the
crop, I have found that a topdressing of fine, fresh earth applied
evenly all over the bed acts, to a certain extent, as a preventive of
further attack, but of course has no effect upon any of the already
affected mushrooms, large or small.