up and destroy
every clump of mushrooms attacked by it. Fortunately the disease is not
very serious if proper precautions are observed; for, in our own
cellars, where mushrooms have been grown year after year for the past
eleven years, we get but few flocky mushrooms in any bed's bearing. The
disease is not more common to-day than it was in any former year. But we
give our cellars a thorough cleaning every summer.

=Cleaning the Mushroom Houses.=--After the season's cropping is finished
the mushroom houses and cellars should be thoroughly cleaned. Clear out
the old beds, and bring outside all the movable floor and shelf boards,
scrape up every bit of loose litter or dirt in the place and throw it
out, broom down the walls and whatever boarding is left. Whitewash the
walls with hot lime wash, and paint every bit of woodwork liberally with
crude oil or kerosene. This is to destroy anguillulae and other insect
and fungus parasites. If you wish to use again the boards brought
outside, broom them over and paint them copiously with kerosene. And if
your cellar or house has a dirt floor, a heavy sprinkling of very
caustic lime water all over it will do good in ridding it of vermin.

CHAPTER XX.

GROWING MUSHROOMS IN RIDGES OUT OF DOORS AROUND LONDON.

In the preface to _Kitchen and Market Gardening_ (London) is the
following:

"Mr. W. Falconer and Mr. C. W. Shaw made, in connection with the London
_Garden_, what we believe to be the first attempt at long and systematic
observation of the best culture as it is in London market gardens." This
is mentioned to indicate that the writer speaks on this subject from
experience. And although it is now seventeen years since I became
disconnected with the London market gardens, by revisiting them a few
years ago, and by correspondence and the horticultural press, I have
endeavored to keep informed of all changes of methods and improvements
in culture as practiced there. At that time Steele, Bagley, Broadbent,
Dancer, Pocock and Myatt were among the largest and best gardeners
around London, and since then several of these grand old gentlemen have
passed away and their fields have been cut up and built upon. At that
time mushrooms were one of the general crops, as were snap beans or
cauliflower, and in their season were planted as a matter of course.
To-day they have become a specialty, and some gardeners devote their
whole energy to mushroom-growing alone, and make from $2000