his point, that
is, the point when the beds are ready for planting the spawn, seems to
be one of the most important and critical features of the business. The
material must be of a suitable temperature, preferably not above 90 deg.
F., and not below 70 deg. The most favorable temperature, according to
some, other conditions being congenial, ranges from 80 deg. to 85 deg.
F., while many prefer to spawn at 70 deg. to 75 deg. Many of the very
successful growers, however, do not lay so much stress upon the
temperature of the bed for the time of spawning as they do upon the
ripeness, or the cured condition, of the material in the bed. This is a
matter which it is very difficult to describe to one not familiar with
the subject, and it is one which it is very difficult to properly
appreciate unless one has learned it by experience. Some judge more by
the odor, or the "smell," as they say, of the manure. It must have lost
the fresh manure "smell," or the "sour smell," and possess, as they say,
a "sweet smell." Sometimes the odor is something like that of manure
when spawn has partly run through it. It sometimes has a sweetish smell,
or a smell suggestive of mushrooms even when no spawn has run through
it.

Another important condition of the material is its state of dryness or
moisture. It must not be too dry or the spawn will not run. In such
cases there is not a sufficient amount of moisture to provide the water
necessary for the growth of the mycelium. On the other hand, it must not
be too wet, especially at the time of spawning and for a few weeks
after. Some test the material for moisture in this way. Take a handful
of the material and squeeze it. If on releasing the hold it falls to
pieces, it is too dry. By squeezing a handful near the ear, if there is
an indication of running water, even though no water may be expressed
from the material, it is too wet. If on pressure of the material there
is not that sense of the movement of water in it on holding it to the
ear, and if on releasing the pressure of the hand the material remains
in the form into which it has been squeezed, or expands slightly, it is
considered to be in a proper condition so far as moisture is concerned
for planting the spawn.

WHAT SPAWN IS.

The spawn of the mushroom is the popular word used in speaking of the
mycelium of the mushroom. The term is commonly used in a commercial
sense of material in which the mycelium is growing. This material is
hor