and this never
exists if the bricks have lost their germinating power, excepting, of
course, where they have been kept damp, and the spawn has spent its
power, which is detected by the white threads appearing in great
quantity."

=American-made Spawn.=--So far as I have been able to find out by
diligent inquiry, mushroom spawn is not made for sale in this country.
But I am informed that a few growers do save and use their own flake
spawn. Some of our principal growers, Van Siclen, Gardner, and Henshaw,
for instance, in time past attempted to make their own spawn, but with
only partial success, and now they confine themselves to the imported
article. But this state of affairs can not long continue. The demand
here for fresh mushrooms is so great, the industry of mushroom-growing
so important, the price of imported spawn so high, and the quantity of
foreign spawn imported annually into this country is so large, that,
before long, we hope some one will find it to his advantage to make a
specialty of growing mushroom spawn in this country to supply the
American market. There is no practical operation in connection with the
cultivation of mushrooms so little known or understood by the general
grower as the growing (or "making," as it is commonly called) and
preserving of mushroom spawn. General cultivators in England and France
(outside of the Paris caves) do not make their own spawn; it is a
distinct branch of the business, and carried on by specialists who grow
mushrooms for sale in winter, and spawn in summer.

The time and attention required to produce a small quantity of
first-class spawn are worth more than the cost of the spawn at the seed
store. In order to make spawn profitably we must make it in large
quantity, and we need not attempt to make it unless we have good
materials and conditions for its proper preparation, and will give it
every attention possible for its best development.

Because spawn may be made in America is no reason whatever why the
American people will buy it. We must produce, at least, as good an
article as the best in Europe before we can find countenance in our home
market. It is not the shape of the manure brick, its size, fine finish,
hardness, softness, or freshness, that counts in this case; it is the
fullness and vitality of the mass of mycelium or mushroom plant that is
contained within it.

HOW TO MAKE BRICK SPAWN.

As the making of brick spawn for sale is not yet an American in