MUSHROOM-SPAWN.
THE first thing we have to determine is, What is spawn? Generally, the
spawn, or what in scientific language is called the _mycelium_, is
supposed to be analogous to seed, while it really is what may be termed
the vegetation of the plant, or something analogous to roots, stems, and
leaves of ordinary plants, the visible part or stem, head and gills, of
the mushroom being, in fact, the fructification, though in such an
apparent preponderance to the other parts. A knowledge of the anatomy
and life-history of the mushroom is not necessary to the cultivator, and
is not familiar even to those who make of mushrooms a study. We know
that the gills are simply surfaces on which germs or spores are
produced. The membrane that covers the spore plates of a single mushroom
would cover a large space if spread out, and the spores are counted by
myriads. We can see them clearly enough under the microscope--can see in
what manner they are borne on and fixed to the gills; but of the history
of their lives, from the time they fall from the surfaces on which they
were born, till the “young mushroom” or inflorescence is vigorously
pushing up from the mass of delicate vegetation which they have given
rise to in earth or decaying manure, we know nothing. However, the
preparation of the spawn, and the subsequent management of it in the
mushroom-bed, are the matters which really concern us.
How is spawn obtained in the first instance? It is found in a natural
state in half-decomposed manure-heaps, in places where horse-droppings
have accumulated and been kept dry, in riding-schools, sheds to which
horses have long had access, in “mill tracks” under cover, in pastures,
in partially decayed hotbeds, &c., and rarely or never in very moist or
saturated materials. This spawn, sometimes termed “natural” in this
country, and called by the French “virgin spawn,” is the best that can
be obtained, and should be used in preference wherever it can be found.
To use it, all that has to be done is to divide the material permeated
by the white spawn into pieces a few inches square, and say an inch or
more thick. They will of course break up irregularly, but all should be
used, whether of the size of a bean, or nearly that of the open hand.
Then they are inserted into the surface of the mushroom-beds in the
ordinary way.
In nearly every country place, and in numerous suburban ones, in fact,
in most places where horses are kept, opportunities of finding this
spawn occur. Its white, filamentous, and downy threads have the odour
of mushrooms, and the spawn is, therefore, very easily recognised. It
should be generally known that it need not be used when found, but may
be dried, and kept for use in a dry place for years, and has been known
to keep as long as fourteen years. It must not be supposed that it is
only the hard bricks described further on that keep thus. The French
spawn is in much looser and lighter material than that in which we
usually find _mycelium_ in a natural state, and it keeps quite as long
as ours. To preserve spawn found in a natural state, nothing more is
required than to take up carefully the parts of the manure in which it
is found, not breaking them up more than may be necessary, and placing
both large and small pieces loosely in rough shallow hampers. These
should be placed in some dry airy loft or shed till thoroughly dry, and
afterwards kept in some perfectly dry place, packed in rough boxes till
wanted for use.
[Illustration: Fig. 11. Brick mushroom-spawn.]
But inasmuch as in this country, at present, but little mushroom-spawn
is required in any one place, the rule is to obtain artificial spawn in
the form of hard bricks. This spawn is made from horse-droppings and
some cowdung and road scrapings beaten up into a mortar-like consistency
in a shed, and then formed into bricks, slightly differing in shape with
different makers, but usually thinner and wider than common building
bricks. Various recipes are given for mixing the materials for the
bricks, and among them the following are about the best:--1.
Horse-droppings the chief part, cowdung a fourth, and the remainder
loam. 2. Fresh horse-droppings mixed with short litter the greater part,
cowdung one third, and the rest mould or loam. 3. Horsedung, cowdung,
and loam in equal parts. These bricks are placed in some dry, airy
place, and when half dry, a little bit of spawn about as big as a hazel
nut, is placed in the centre of each; or sometimes, when the bricks are
as wide as long, a particle is put near each corner, just inserted below
the surface, and plastered over with the composition of which the bricks
are made. When the bricks are nearly dry, they are placed on a hotbed
about a foot thick, in a shed or dry place. On this the bricks are
piled, or placed rather openly and loosely, and covered over with
litter, so that the heat may circulate equably amongst them. The
temperature should not rise more than a degree or two above 60 degrees;
if it does, it may easily be modified by reducing or removing the
covering of litter. The makers frequently examine the bricks during the
process, and when the spawn has been found to spread throughout a brick
like a fine white mould, it is removed, and allowed to dry for future
use in a dark, dry place. If allowed to go further than the fine white
mould stage, and form threads and tubercles in the bricks, it has then
attained to a higher degree of development than is consistent with
preserving its vegetative powers, and therefore it should be removed
from the bed in the fine mould stage. This is the kind of mushroom spawn
mostly in use in our gardens, and it is usually very hard in texture.
[Illustration: Fig. 12. Mill-track mushroom-spawn.]
There is a kind of spawn used in some gardens called mill-track
mushroom-spawn, which is made in a more simple manner than the
preceding. It would seem to be simply spawn that has spread through the
thoroughly amalgamated droppings of a mill-track. The material is
rather soft and free in texture, is usually sold in large and somewhat
irregular lumps, and is much used by some cultivators.
[Illustration: Fig. 13. Parisian mushroom-spawn.]
Finally, we have the French mushroom-spawn, which differs from our own
in not being in bricks or solid lumps, but in rather light masses of
scarcely half decomposed, comparatively loose and dry litter. This spawn
is obtained by preparing a little bed as if for mushrooms in the
ordinary way, and spawning it with morsels of virgin spawn, if that is
obtainable; and then when the spawn has spread through it, the bed is
broken up and used for spawning beds in the caves, or dried and
preserved for sale. It is sold in small boxes, and is fit for insertion
when pulled in rather thin pieces, about half the size of the open hand;
but in separating it, it divides into many pieces, of all sizes, every
particle of which should be used. The small particles should be strewn
broadcast over the bed after the larger pieces have been inserted. This
applies to the other kinds. In consequence of the open porous nature of
the French mushroom-spawn, it is likely to be immediately affected by
the heat and moisture of the genially warm manure forming the
mushroom-bed, and on that account alone presents some advantages. It has
recently been introduced for the first time, and probably will soon be
tested by many growers.
Spawn, in the common sense of the word, may be dispensed with by well
amalgamating manure, loam, and old mushroom-beds, or leaf-mould
containing traces of spawn, and these formed into beds about a foot
thick in the mushroom-house, and covered with earth, produce without any
further spawning; but the plan is not so simple or advantageous as that
more commonly pursued.
There is no necessity for purchasing artificial spawn at all where
mushrooms are regularly grown. Nor is there in any case except at the
commencement, or to guard against one’s own spawn proving bad. To secure
good spawn, we have only to do as the French growers do: take a portion
of a bed where it is thoroughly permeated by the spawn and before it
begins to bear, and preserve it for future use.
Of the efficacy of this sort of spawn, if any proof were needed in
addition to the fine crops the Parisian growers gather, it will be found
in the following statement from Mr. Ayres:--
“A short time back, attention was directed to the superior quality of
French mushroom-spawn, and as a natural consequence several London
seedsmen imported it for sale. Some months back I obtained possession of
a stable, and, wishing to grow mushrooms in it, procured a few tons of
horse manure, just as it came from the dung-pit of the hotel stables. It
was very wet, and consequently when thrown together it heated violently.
However, by frequent turning for a week or ten days this tendency was
reduced, and then five beds were formed of it, adding one-fourth of
perfectly dry soil from a cucumber-house. I say perfectly dry, because
the soil had lain in the house for fifteen or eighteen months without
receiving a drop of water, and therefore may almost be considered as
thoroughly dry. Intimately mixed with the fermenting dung, it had the
tendency that I desired--viz., subdued the excessive moisture, and,
after the bed had been made up a week, brought it to the temperature
necessary to receive the spawn.
“Having great faith in the good qualities of fresh loam from an old
pasture for the production of mushrooms of superior quality, I had a
quantity dried and warmed. I had a coat of this three inches thick laid
over each bed, and then forked carefully in, taking care to mix the soil
and dung as intimately as possible. Re-formed and left for a few days
the beds attained the necessary warmth; then they were made quite firm,
and were ready for spawning.
“For this purpose I had procured two boxes of the French spawn from
Messrs. Barr and Sugden, of Covent Garden. It was light, loose, flaky,
chaffy stuff, and so dry that I had some fear whether its vegetating
power had not been dried out of it. But the spawn had been bought for
experiment, and therefore the experiment must be carried out.
“Raking about two inches of the material from the surface of each bed,
pieces of the flaky spawn were laid down, at about ten inches or a foot
apart, all over the beds; the fine portions of the spawn were then
scattered over the beds, patted down firmly with the back of a spade,
and then the surface material was returned, and the whole made as firm
as possible. In passing, it may not be out of place to remark that
spawning in this manner must be guided, or rather governed, by the state
of the material of the bed. If it is not sufficiently cooled, it will be
safer to make holes in the usual manner for the spawn; but if in a fit
state, then I think the broadcast spawning and earthing, as before
described, is the best plan. The disturbed portion of the beds having
regained its heat, and there being no fear of its _over_heating, the
beds were immediately earthed two inches thick with fresh loam, beaten
quite firm, and then covered with a thin layer of dry hay.
“Not liking to entrust my chance of mushrooms entirely to the new
material, the French spawn, two beds were spawned at the same time and
in the same manner with native spawn. Owing to the large size of the
stable, and the unusually cold, piercing weather at the end of the year
(1869), the beds lost so much heat that I had some misgivings whether
they would not prove a failure; but finding, subsequently, that the
spawn was working, I gave each bed (the surface being rather dry) a good
syringing with water at the temperature of 80 deg., covered it with
clean dry mats, and then returned the hay. The beds are now a sheet of
the ‘pearl of the fields,’ some of the patches as large as a
cheese-plate, and the whole in most promising condition--so promising
that, with proper attention, I have no doubt they will yield a good
supply of mushrooms for many months. To secure this continuous bearing,
farmyard manure-water and salt, at proper times, should not be spared;
while, as soon as the flush of the first crop is over, the beds may
receive a thorough soaking of manure-water at a temperature of not less
than 80 deg., be re-earthed with fresh soil, and covered down with mats
and hay. In this manner we always get a second crop little inferior to
the first one, and sometimes much superior.”