ide, and two, four feet long
and the same width, are then hastily nailed into the form of a
rectangular frame. This is placed upon the rock bottom at one end of the
row of material, perpendicular to it usually.

[Illustration: FIGURE 232.--View in Akron "tunnel," N. Y. Mushroom Co.
Making up the beds. Copyright.]

The workmen then, with forks, distribute the material in this frame. If
there is coarser material which has been separated from the finer
material, this is placed in the bottom of the bed and the finer material
is then filled on top. A layer of material is distributed over the
bottom and then tamped down by striking with the back of the fork, as
shown in Fig. 232. In this figure the material is shown to be off at one
end of the bed. This was in a section of the mine where it was not
convenient to follow the beds in the direction of the pile of manure, so
that the material is distributed on from the end of the bed instead of
from the side, as is the usual method. After several inches have been
distributed in this way and tamped down with the back of the fork, the
operator tramps over the material with his feet and presses it down more
firmly. Another layer of material is distributed over this, and tamped
and tramped down in a similar manner. The operation is repeated until
the depth of the manure after tramping down is about seven inches. It is
then left for the completion of the curing process and for the lowering
of the temperature to the desired point. Usually, after making the bed
in this way, there is a rise in the temperature for several days,
gradually lowering until finally it reaches the point favorable for
planting the spawn.

Where the beds are made successively, one after another, following the
windrow of manure, the material used for the first bed removes from the
windrow a sufficient amount to make room for the second bed, and in like
manner room for the successive beds is provided for as the material is
taken for each one, so that the frames are put together and the beds are
formed rapidly and easily.

=Making ridge beds in caves.=--In the making of the ridge beds in caves
there are two methods which might be spoken of. One method is the well
known one practiced in certain of the caves near Paris, where the
material is taken by workmen in large baskets and distributed in rows.
The ridge is gradually formed into shape by walking astride of it, as
additional material is emptied on from the bask