ondition until the mycelium or "fiber" has thoroughly permeated
the bricks. The spawn is now completed, and the bricks are allowed to
dry. In this condition they are put upon the market. The bricks made
with a very high percentage of soil often have the appearance of dried
soil, with a slight admixture of vegetable matter.

Brick spawn from other sources presents a very different texture and
contains probably a much larger percentage of horse manure, or, at
least, a much smaller percentage of soil. The appearance of the brick is
not that of soil with a slight admixture of vegetable materials, but has
much the appearance of a dried and compressed mixture of horse dung and
cow dung, with an abundance of the "fiber" or mycelium, "the greyish
moldy, or thready matter," which constitutes the vital part of the
spawn. In the selection of spawn this is an important item, that is, the
presence of an abundance of "fiber" or mycelium. It can be seen on the
surface, usually showing an abundance of these whitish threads or
sheets, or a distinct moldy appearance is presented. On breaking the
brick the great abundance of the "fiber" or whitish mycelium is seen all
through it. This indicates that the brick possesses a high percentage of
the "fiber," an important part of the spawn.

One not accustomed to the quality of spawn can therefore judge to a
certain extent by the appearance of the bricks as to the quality, at
least they can judge as to the presence of an abundance or a scanty
quantity of the "fiber." Since the spawn remains in good condition for
several years, there is usually no danger in the use of spawn which may
be one or two years old. But it does deteriorate to some extent with
age, and young spawn is therefore to be preferred to old spawn, provided
the other desirable qualities are equal. Those who attempt to cultivate
mushrooms, and depend on commercial or manufactured spawn, should see to
it that the spawn purchased possesses these desirable qualities of
texture, and the presence of an abundance of the mycelium. That which
appears devoid of an abundance of mycelium should be rejected, and good
spawn should be called for. There is no more reason why a grower should
accept a worthless spawn from his seedsman than that he should accept
"addled" eggs from his grocer. In this business, that is, the
manufacture and sale of spawn, poor material is apt to be thrown on the
market just as in the case of seeds, poor material may f