a fork, and the coarser portion removed. If there is not too much
of this coarse material the latter is often cured in a separate pile and
used for the bottom of the beds, the finer portions of the manure, which
have been separated, are used for the finishing and for the bulk of the
bed.

[Illustration: FIGURE 230.--View in mushroom house (L. S. Bigony). View
on top of fourth bed, middle tier. Copyright.]

Where manure is obtained on a large scale for the cultivation in houses
or in caves, it is usually obtained by the carload from liveries in
large cities. It is possible to contract for manure of certain livery
stables so that it may be obtained in a practically fresh condition, and
handled by the liverymen according to directions, which will keep it in
the best possible condition for the purpose. In the cave culture of
mushrooms the manure is usually taken directly into the caves, and cured
in some portion of the cave. In the house cultivation of mushrooms there
is usually a shed constructed with an opening on one or two sides, at
the end of the house connected with the beds, where the manure may be
cured. In curing it, it is placed in piles, the size of which will
depend upon the amount of manure to be cured, and upon the method
employed by the operator. The usual size, where considerable manure is
used, is about three feet in depth by ten or twelve feet wide, and
fifteen to twenty feet long. The manure is laid in these piles to heat,
and is changed or turned whenever desirable to prevent the temperature
from rising too high. The object of turning is to prevent the burning of
the material, which results at high degrees of temperature in
fermentation. It is usually turned when the temperature rises to about
130 deg. F. At each turning the outside portions are brought to the center
of the pile. The process is continued until the manure is well fermented
and the temperature does not rise above 100 to 120 degrees, and then it
is ready for making into beds.

There are several methods used in the process of curing, and it does not
seem necessary that any one method should be strictly adhered to. The
most important things to be observed are to prevent the temperature from
rising too high during the process of fermentation, to secure a thorough
fermentation, and to prevent the material from drying out, or burning,
or becoming too wet. The way in which the material is piled influences
the rapidity of fermentation, or the in