erved, and to the necessity of special search to
find them. In California, however, Dr. Harkness (Proc. Calif. Acad.
Sci.) has collected a large number of species and genera. Recently
(Shear. Asa Gray Bull. 7: 118, 1899) reports finding a "truffle"
(_Terfezia oligosperma_ Tul.) in Maryland, and _T. leonis_ occurs in
Louisiana.

FOOTNOTES:

[C] There is not room here to discuss the uses of other fungi than the
"mushrooms."

CHAPTER XX.

CULTIVATION OF MUSHROOMS.

The increasing interest in mushrooms during the past few years has not
been confined to the kinds growing spontaneously in fields and woods,
but the interest aroused in the collection and study of the wild
varieties has been the means of awakening a general interest in the
cultivation of mushrooms. This is leading many persons to inquire
concerning the methods of cultivation, especially those who wish to
undertake the cultivation of these plants on a small scale, in cellars
or cool basements, where they may be grown for their own consumption. At
somewhat frequent intervals articles appear in the newspapers depicting
the ease and certainty with which mushrooms can be grown, and the great
profits that accrue to the cultivator of these plants. While the profits
in some cases, at least in the past, have been very great to cultivators
of mushrooms, the competition has become so general that through a large
part of the year the market price of mushrooms is often not sufficient
to much more than pay expenses. In fact, it is quite likely that in many
cases of the house cultivation of mushrooms the profits are no larger,
taking the season through, than they are from the cultivation of
tomatoes or other hothouse vegetables. Occasionally some persons, who
may be cultivating them upon a small scale in houses erected for some
other purpose, or perhaps partly used for some other purpose, may
succeed in growing quite a large crop from a small area with little
expenditure of time and money. The profits figured from such a crop
grown on a small scale where the investment in houses, heating
apparatus, and time, is not counted, may appear to be very large, but
they do not represent the true conditions of the industry where the
expense of houses and the cost of time and labor are taken into
consideration.

Probably the more profitable cultivation of mushrooms in this country is
where the cultivation is practiced on quite a large scale, in tunnels,
or caves, or aban