the blue it is the ground colour which is the most prominent or striking to the eye, in the other colours it is the chequering. At all events, old-established custom has so named them, and I observe in a copy of Fulton's new Pigeon book (part 1st), there are portraits of two Blue and two Red-chequered Antwerps so designated. The latter would be called by "TURKEY QUILL" either "Mealy Chequered" or "Red Mealy Chequered." I would now ask “TURKEY QUILL" a question. He says, "A silver Pigeon has two dun bars on the wings." I wish to know the name of the following colour-body a very light blue, so light that white can scarcely be distinguished on it, with two jet black bars on the wings. This colour was formerly seen in Baldpates, Turbits, and Dragons (not Dragoons), and may be yet; but I do not keep these kinds. It was called Silver, and the dun-barred colour was Silver-Dun. Would "TURKEY QUILL also say what is the difference between the colours "Silver" and "Dun-Silver" he gives in his list under " Blues ?" If the simple "Silver" has two dun bars (vide his third paragraph), what kind of bar has the "Dun-Silver?"-J. C. LYELL, Monifieth, Dundee.

RABBIT-KEEPING.

A VERY mistaken idea prevails regarding what is necessary in the way of a hutch in which to keep Rabbits. Many persons seem to think that an elaborate arrangement is indispensable; that the hutch must be of regulation size, must have wire front, a sloping floor with gutter to carry off the water, must have one end partitioned off for a breeding pen, and numerous other adjuncts and conveniences which are usually found only in the rabbitries of large or wealthy fanciers. It is all very well and very nice to have these items all arranged in apple-pie order if one can afford to gratify his taste in such matters, but to say that it is in any way essential to success is sheer nonsense.

Rabbits have been, and are still, kept in common dry-goods boxes, with the cover fastened on by leather hinges, and a few holes bored around the sides for ventilation, and in this primitive manner most excellent success has been attained. Of course in such quarters cleanliness is indispensable. The box must be cleaned out and fresh litter given at least every other day; and daily were better.

Another simple arrangement is a shoe-box; this is usually about 3 to 3 feet long, 15 to 18 inches deep, and about 12 inches broad; this is placed on the side, on supports, or fastened against the wall, with the door or lid hung from the upper side, thus lifting up. The door may be of wire cloth, lath, or simply the lid of the box with a few holes bored in it, and hung by iron hinges or strips of leather. One end of this box may be set off by a partition for a nesting room, this need not necessarily be over 9 inches wide. On this point I find I differ with most other writers on this subject. They advocate a nesting box of 12 to 15 inches in width, and the depth of the hutch either 1 or 2 feet from front to rear. My experience is that with those large nesting boxes the young Rabbits, as soon as able to crawl, will often get out of the nest, and get chilled, and be unable to get back again. Having lost a number of litters in this way, I have reduced the size of these boxes to 10 inches diameter for Lops and Belgians, and to 9 inches for the smaller varieties; and also when the hutch is deep I place a semi-partition about 24 or 3 inches high across the nesting apartment, about 1 foot from the front of the hutch; entrance to the apartment by the doe being had by an opening in the back part of the hutch, through a hole 6 inches wide and 8 inches high. Hutches of this kind may be placed in tiers two, three, or four high.

Another and still simpler mode of keeping Rabbits is in an unoccupied room in any outbuilding. This can be divided into apartments by boards; the partition to be carried to a height of 3 or 4 feet. The apartments may be of such size and shape as suits the fancy of the amateur. In one corner of the pen put a box, say about 10 by 15 inches, with a round hole 6 or 7 inches in diameter cut in one end; hinge the cover and fasten it down by a simple hook or button, so as to afford better opportunities to examine the young. Care must be taken to exclude cats and rats from the room. While speaking of cats, I would here say that it is a good practice where many Rabbits are kept to bring up a kitten or terrier dog in the same room with them; thus one is perfectly safe from rats, and the cat or dog never molests the Rabbits. For young stock I especially recommend keeping them in this last manner. My pens were 5 feet wide by 10 feet long, and four in number; and in one of these I have had as many as thirty-five Rabbits at one time, varying from six weeks

to four months old.

They have ample room to exercise, and seem to thrive much better than when in more confined quarters, even in small numbers.-A. M. HALSTED. The Pet-Stock Bulletin.)

EXAMINING THE INTERIOR OF A HIVE. AT page 266 in last week's Journal, is a letter from Mr. Pettigrew on "Loss of Bees in Hives Containing Honey," and on

the opposite page is a letter from Mr. Bagshaw on the subject of the best hives, praising the brown bees and Pettigrew straw hives. The first letter almost seems an answer to the second. Mr. Pettigrew says, "It is not to be expected that anyone who has not seen the hives can state with certainty why deaths or desertions have taken place. It is necessary for a doctor to have seen a patient before he can safely give a certificate as to the disease which carried him off." Thus Mr. Pettigrew likens his hives to a "patient" or the human body, and the simile is most true and exact; for though a doctor may have seen a patient, could he not more safely give the certificate when he had examined him? and could the doctor only examine the patient internally before he was carried off, what might he not effect in the way of a cure? And is not Mr. Pettigrew's hive exactly like the patient-i.e., cannot be examined internally until it is carried off? But surely prevention is better than cure, and therefore, a natural sequitur, the hive which allows this internal examination to be made while still existent must be better than those which Mr. Pettigrew so happily likens to a patient."

Again, as far as "the getting of honey and profit" goes, allow, for argument's sake, Mr. Bagshaw is right, yet it is surely not just to take one single hive as a fair criterion, and does not the loss of one or two hives in an apiary (which must and will take place where there is no means of internal examination), go far to counterbalance the profit made by the others? Take a case, my own if you like. have fifteen hives, and I have already carefully examined them all. I found three of them crowded with bees with little or no honey, while four others were overstocked with honey but with very few bees. A fine day and a few minutes set this all right. I have examined my "patients internally and saved the lives of all. The knowledge of how to do this we owe to an American, Mr. Langstroth.-BERKSHIRE AMATEUR.

BEE-KEEPER'S CALENDAR FOR APRIL. MR. B.-I have examined my hives internally several times without a bee-dress, and have not yet been punished for my temerity. To know and witness what is going on inside the hives makes bee-keeping doubly interesting to beginners like myself. The stronger hive has now four patches of sealed brood, and the two centre patches are much larger than they were when we first examined them. Every fine day the bees carry in a great quantity of pollen. What is it for? Mr. P.-This pollen is called bee-bread, and is mixed in the food given to the brood in their cells. Living perfect bees do not eat it; many hives die of hunger with plenty of pollen in their combs. In this country more pollen is collected than is generally used, and a superabundance of it in a hive is a great hindrance to the bees, by occupying cells that would otherwise be used for breeding purposes. Their instincts and industry, doubtless, prompt them in this uncertain climate to gather and store-up more than they require for immediate use. The patches of brood will multiply and increase in size till all the combs are filled with brood and eggs. Eggs are set as widely as the bees can cover them. The fertility of queens and the industry of working bees are marvels in the history of bee hives. When all the combs of a hive are covered with bees and filled with eggs and brood, it is in ordinary seasons and circumstances within three weeks of being ripe for swarming. In examining a hive to ascertain if the bees cover their combs, no smoke is used; the hive is simply raised high enough to let us see the bees in their natural position and state.

Mr. B.-I have been told that the appearance of drones is a certain indication that a swarm may be expected. As I am anxious to know all that can be learned about queens, drones, swarming, comb-building, &c., together with the practical management of my hives, I hope you will pardon me if I seek enlightenment on certain points as we go on. I mean to think and see for myself, now that you have taught me how to examine my hives, believing that the teaching of experience is more valuable and trustworthy than that of books.

Mr. P.-I am pleased to hear you talk thus, and believe that if you put everything we may say to the test of reason and experiment, you will become an adept in bee-management, and an advanced student in bee-history. Early drones as a rule indicate early swarms; but in many cases it is not so, for some hives have drone combs in their centres, and these produce drones long before they are ready for swarming, and some hives swarm before a drone is hatched in them. If the drone combs in a hive are on the outside or edges of the worker combs, we may safely conclude that it is filled to the swarming-point when drones first make their appearance. Bonner, the Scottish apiarian of olden times, collected his family to rejoice with him on the day his drones first appeared. In the superabundance of his enthusiasm he used to tak a wee drap too much, and toddle to bed right fu on such occasions." Next month we shall come to the consideration of the breeding and production of queens, swarming, and comb-building.

Meanwhile, Mr. B, you would do well to consider and compare different ways of managing bees, with a view to determine beforehand whether you will adopt the swarming or non-swarming mode of management.

Mr. B.-Please to explain both briefly, that I may fairly understand them and choose the better of the two, for while I listen to you I will use my own reason and judgment.

Mr. P.-Well, let me say that swarming is a law amongst bees -it is an instinct of their being, and tends to their preservation. Before hives become full, emigration and colonisation are thought of, and preparations are made inside for such events. When full of combs, brood, and bees, first swarms with the old queens leave their hives. A few days before they leave, eggs are placed in royal cells, which come to perfection in fourteen days, or in about ten days after the first swarms issue. When these cradled princesses come to maturity they begin to make strange sounds by piping and barking at one another, and these sounds may be heard for three days and three nights. Then second swarms, smaller than the first ones, are sent off. You will not fail to see, that by taking one or two swarms from a stock hive an apiarian has the great advantage of having young queens and young combs in his hives. He can, if he likes, take the honey from his stocks and keep younger hives. Besides, on the swarming principle he has all the bees in the honey hives wherewith to strengthen and make doubly strong those he selects for stocks. Again, on the swarming principle he can in ordinary seasons turn all the bees out of the stock hives three weeks after the first swarms leave them, put these turn-outs into empty hives, and take the honey from the stocks. Thus two or three swarms are obtained, and honey in quantity early in the season. The reason why the twenty-first day after swarming is named for turning out the bees is this, that then the brood is hatched, and the young queens have not begun to lay. The only sacrifice made in this turning-out process is the loss of the old comb. But as a set-off against this loss we have from 20s. to 25s. worth honey from each stock hive, and if the turn-outs fill their hives with combs they are generally quite as valuable for keeping as th old ones would be. It is a great thing in bee-keeping to have hives filled with young sweet

combs.

On the non-swarming system of management combs become old and black, queens become c'd and may die when there are no eggs in their hives. In honey seasons non-swarmers are generally too full of honey and too scant of bees for making eligible stocks for another season.

Mr. B.-But do we not get more supers filled with honey on the non-swarming principle than on the multiplying one? Mr. P.-In seasons unfavourable for bees more supers may be obtained from hives not allowed to swarm than otherwise, and doubtless there may be other points on the side of non-swarming which I cannot at this moment think of; but taking one year with another, the swarming mode of management is incomparably better than the non-swarming one. In favourable seasons for honey-gathering best first swarms will rise in weight to upwards of 100 lbs. each, second swarms and turn-outs to

60 lbs. and 70 lbs. each.

Mr. B.-I think you have said enough to induce me to adopt the swarming system, which will enable me to increase the number of my stocks and have my bees in modern and commodious hives. I should like to have your opinion of the various kinds of hives in use. I wish to get the best kind for my swarms, so that I shall not need to change them in a year or two.

Mr. P.-Directions will be given for both modes of management. On the non-swarming system supers should be placed on hives about a week after their combs are covered with beesthat is, about fourteen days before they become ready to swarm. Guide-combs should be placed in the supers to induce the bees to commence work in them as soon as placed on the hives. By the end of this month some hives will be ready for supering. Supers holding about 10 lbs. of honeycomb are more saleable than larger ones. Straw and wood supers are more easily managed and kept warm than glass ones, and we can sell them of late quite as readily. Glass supers require a very warm covering of cotton wool, or woollen cloth; and when very large glasses (crystal palaces), are used as supers, it is desirable to induce the bees to build the combs in them both upwards

and downwards.

If the weather is unfavourable for honey-gathering-preventing the bees from getting supplies from fruit-tree blossoms, they should be fed more diligently and liberally than they were last month, for now both more bees and brood need nourishment. As stated last month, bees without food in stores will not continue to sit eggs. If the weather be fine, and the bees gathering enough for their wants, they will continue to breed; but if cold weather set in when they have nothing stored up, they decline to sit eggs, and sometimes cast out half-hatched brood.

It is well known that I use and recommend straw hives of considerable dimensions. They are beautiful and cheap, better

for health and honey, and more easily managed than wooden or complicated hives. The teaching of experience will lead all honest practical apiarians, seeking great results, to use straw hives of simple construction, large size, and beautiful build. Next month will be one of great activity. Few practical instructions are needed for April.-A. PETTIGREW, Sale.

CRYSTAL PALACE BEE AND HONEY SHOW. IN common with many of my bee-keeping brethren, I offer my congratulations to the promoters of the forthcoming Show at the Crystal Palace. I trust that it will be worthy of the place and of the country, and that those who have the management will endeavour to make it a truly national event; for then it will give an impetus to bee-culture in many a remote district. Like the great Christmas Cattle Show, it will be sure to attract with fixed impressions of hives, supers, &c., and will tell to visitors from far and near; many will return to their homes their less-favoured friends, who were not able to visit London, the wonders they have seen; for I have no doubt, if the season be propitious, there will be some wonderful productions in the way of supers, &c. I hope there will be plenty of space allotted for the Exhibition, so that visitors need not be constantly obliged to be on the move, but may be allowed some reasonable time for inspection. When a person is deeply interested in anything, is just mastering the details, and has some faint idea of how such-and-such a thing was done, but still has not quite clear views about it, what can be more tantalising than to be told that he must "move on?"

If the Exhibition be carried out in a national spirit, it will serve as a model for local shows; if not, and there be a manifest leaning to any particular class, it will be sure to cause annoyance and ill-feeling, and the great object of the Exhibition will be frustrated. If all kinds of hives have a place for competition-"a fair field and no favour"-no class of hivists can be dissatisfied, and I am inclined to think that the skilled apiarian who pins his faith to the much-despised straw skep of large size, will not have to nail his colours to the mast if profit be taken into consideration. On this point there is great diversity of opinion, therefore let each hive stand on its own merits; but I cannot help thinking that, as the schedule now stands, the straw hive is all but thrown

overboard.

Undoubtedly the schedule published has been scanned with great interest; it will be freely and fairly criticised, suggestions will be made, and I trust, before the last schedule is sent out, that the originators of the scheme will weigh well what outsiders impossible to draw up a list of prizes to please everyone, but it have to say, retain the good, and cast the bad away. It will be is quite possible to draw up one that will meet with general approbation.

With regard to the prizes, I think they are cut up too small; I think some of them ought not to come under £5. For a small local affair it would be all very well. No doubt the majority of exhibitors will be amateurs, who will think more of the honour of winning the prize than of the mere money value; at the same time, there are many amateurs who would compete for £5, who would not take the trouble of sending their produce or stock to London for a chance of winning only £2; for although some, who have large apiaries, by sending hives, supers, &c., and entering for competition in several classes, may net a considerable amount, yet it must not be forgotten that there are many enthusiastic bee-keepers who possess but few hives, and could perhaps only compete in one class. Therefore it appears to me that the owner of a small number of hives will be at some disadvantage.

There is one class that I think ought to be expunged from the list-Class Q. I cannot see why there should be a prize for honey because it has been extracted by a slinger, when it is admitted by one of its advocates that machine-extracted honey, though a little more in quantity, is a little worse in quality. If anyone who has an interest in selling the machine will give a prize out of his own pocket for extracted honey, no one has a right to say a word against it; but I think money ought not to be voted from public subscriptions for that purpose. I have nothing to say against the extractor, and should approve of giving a prize for the machine if it does its work well; that would be quite sufficient to encourage its introduction where it is not at present used.

I consider the prizes for the miscellaneous class on the whole good; but I have some misgivings about the essay department. On all hands it is admitted that the fertilisation of queens by selected drones is a matter of uncertainty, and those who have taken the most pains to ensure certainty have failed. If the writer of the best essay advances some clever theory, which on paper seems conclusive, but which may never have been tested, is he to have the prize? I think to no one ought this prize to be awarded unless he can prove, without the shadow of a doul t, that this (to me impossible feat) is possible. With respect to the other essay, the man who can convincingly point to the cause and prevention (I prefer Mr. Pettigrew's phrase to the

A NEW MODE OF GLAZING.

HAT the reduction in the price of glass has not been met by a corresponding reduction in the expense of fixing it to its framework, is much to be regretted. Invention, it is true, has not been altogether allowed to lie idle in the matter, and various modes have been adopted with the view of dispensing with the usual quantities of putty and paint; and slips of wood to fix on, instead of the putty or in substitution for the groove in the bar, have been adopted, as well as several other methods. Most, if not all, of the modes hitherto suggested have failed, however, to secure all that was expected of them, and that adopted a century ago seems to be the most general one still; nay, with the exception of now and then a trial case of some new plan, white lead and putty are the all-important agents. But I am not sure that this state of things will continue; the present age is an inventive one, and it is not unlikely that something may be found out that will alter the stereotyped mode of proceeding. The removal of old putty, or rather its falling off, and replacing it every now and then, involve an expense that everyone would like to get rid of, and it is certainly possible to remedy this to some extent. A plan I saw a few days ago, though not in itself perfect, was, nevertheless, a great advance in this direction, and as it was said to have answered well during the past winter, it is well worthy the attention of all who contemplate erecting glass houses. It is equally adapted for the singlelight frame as for any other piece of glazing where glass has to be secured to wooden or iron bars; for although in the example in question the bars were of wood, a little extra contrivance would adapt it to iron bars.

In the garden of Charles Neve, Esq., at Chart Sutton, Kent, a span-roofed house for Grapes and Peaches was erected last year. The glazing was effected without putty or any substitute for it. The house did not differ much in outline from many others. The north lights were much the smallest, and made to open to admit air, while those on the other side were fixed; and the rafters being of considerable length, the bars were proportionably stout, and every third or fourth one was a rafter. The glazing bars were much stouter than ordinary, and cut with the usual rebate for the glass to lie on, but the rebate was somewhat deeper. This extra strength was required for fixing the blocks which secure the glass in its place.

Now, so far as has been explained, the construction does not differ from that of most houses glazed with putty, but none was used here, the glass being laid flat in its place without anything of the kind, and kept there by a series of cork wedges placed between it and some little blocks secured to that portion of the bar which is left between the rebates. These little blocks are small pieces of deal not more than 2 inches long by about three-quarters of an inch wide, and perhaps three-eighths of an inch thick; being chamfered at the corners, two of them are fixed to the top part of the

No. 680.-VOL. XXVI., NEW SERIES.

rebating bar just flush with the upper side of it, and being opposite each other, resemble a number of octagons of somewhat less than 2 inches across. In the case referred to they were about 15 or 18 inches apart on the bar or rafter, being placed, in fact, where there was an overlap in the glass. Now, it will be easily seen that by this contrivance the glass can be readily put into its place, and the question will be asked, How is it kept there? This, I may say, is the easiest part of the affair, and the mode in which it is done is, I consider, the especial merit of the invention, which I believe is in the course of being patented, but there is no harm in making it known. The plan adopted was simply to secure the glass in its place by thin strips or wedges of cork between it and the small blocks above alluded to; ordinary bottle corks cut to the suitable size answer the purpose very well, as those I saw were not much thicker than an old-fashioned penny. It is easy to conceive how quickly a quantity of glass can be fixed by this mode of procedure; and I am told the house has passed through the winter satisfactorily, not a square being cracked by the frost. The squares were certainly not small, being upwards of 20 inches long by 14 wide, and I think 21-oz. to the foot, but of the weight I am not certain.

It may be asked, What hindrance is there to the water, driven by the wind to the outer edge of the square, passing between the glass and the glazing bar to the inside of the house? To prevent this, the portion of the bar on which the glass rests is cut into a groove, along which the water flows to the bottom underneath the glass; but I believe this portion of the contrivance was not so satisfactory as the rest, and some improvement is contemplated in the next house to be erected. I suggested bedding the square in putty in the usual way, but not to let any appear above the glass; but the wish to do away with putty altogether induced the inventors to dispense with it underneath as well as above. The step taken is one in a direction that I trust will be followed by many others having the means to do the method full justice; and the fact of the house having passed through the winter without a single square broken, is a proof that this method of glazing has its advantages. Looking at the house from a short distance off the appearance of the roof is like that of any other greenhouse structure, except in being regularly dotted over with octagon-shaped little blocks (for the two opposite each other resemble that figure), which break the monotony of the plain rafter, and form a pleasing feature. This mode of glazing is adapted to any description of glass structure, even to the singlelight frame, and I trust it will come into use so far as to test its merits in competition with the other modes of glazing in general use, and probably some improvements may be effected.

Old readers of gardening periodicals will remember a plan of glazing recommended, I believe some forty years ago, by Messrs. Cottam & Hallan, extensive hothouse builders, and which in some degree resembled the above; but I believe that instead of small wooden blocks with No. 1932-VOL. LI, OLD SERIES.

cork fastenings, they used screw nails with pieces of leather between their heads and the glass; but the plan did not seem to answer, and consequently fell into disrepute. The present mode would seem to be a great improvement, as by it the whole of the glass in a large house could be taken out in a very short time, as it is only to push out the thin cork fastenings and the glass is loose, and in such houses as those used for Grape or Peach-growing, where full exposure is wanted for a time, the glass can be taken out, packed away, and brought out and put back in its place in a very short time. At the present day, however, most houses are wanted in winter to keep the store bedding and other plants, consequently a naked roofless house is rarely met with. As the materials used are more durable than putty, and must cost very much less in the first instance, there is every chance of this system coming into favour, especially if some provision can be made to prevent the water driven to the sides of the square passing underneath the glass, which I think might be done by bedding the glass on soft putty in the usual way, and giving a rather thick coat of paint on the outside, so as to fill the cavity between the square of glass and the woodwork with the paint, allowing the latter to encroach a little way on the glass, as is done in painting the roofs of glass houses in an ordinary way. Perhaps some will say this is a compromise with the putty system, but it still maintains the principle of no putty outside, and would insure a more perfectly watertight house than can well be made without it, especially when the roof is flat.

The position of the house is fully exposed, being upwards of 400 feet above the sea level, and the south-west winds are often very high; nevertheless, the conservatory attached to the residence contained some well-grown and well-flowered plants, many of which had been wintered in the house alluded to, and all reflecting great credit on Mr. Neve's excellent gardener Mr. Munn. Specially notable were some large well-flowered plants of Cyclamens and Deutzias; Indian Azaleas, Chinese Primroses, and other things were also good. Outside, some beds were gay with Crocuses and Primroses, two of the best early spring flowers we have; while in the inner border some excellent plants of the hardy Cyclamens were pointed out that had done good service last autumn, and even at the time I saw them (the third week of March), were highly ornamental by virtue of their foliage. Forget-me-nots were coming on, but, as at other places, they seemed to have suffered by the winter.

I was told that Mr. Neve liked the mode of glazing referred to so well that he intended to glaze another house, which was being erected, in the same way, with probably some little improvement, retaining, however, the main features, which Mr. Neve conceived to be right. At the same time he wished it to be known that the invention of substituting wooden blocks and slips of cork in place of putty was due to another, and was suggested to him by his own gardener having seen the original at another place, and made a model of it, which was exhibited at more than one horticultural show in the neighbourhood. A Mr. Stapley, gardener to Capt. Pattinson, of Biddenden in this county (Kent), was the original inventor of this system, and it certainly does him great credit. I trust that further experience will confirm the good opinion both entertain of its usefulness; and as painters' and glaziers' bills form the greatest item in hothouse building and keeping-up, anything that will lessen them must be a boon.

If it be asked whether further improvement in the way of applying cork as an elastic substance to secure the glass in its place could be effected, I would suggest a broad-headed screw nail instead of the wooden blocks, using the cork slips or wedges in the same way as described; or probably the latter may be substituted by pieces of indiarubber or some of those compositions which resemble it, and of which there is a great variety. Let us hope that in this age of invention some mode of glazing is in store for us that will supersede the present costly system of having to replace the putty of our glazed structures every two years or oftener, involving also a charge for glass. How far the method now described will answer our requirements must be left for experience to determine, but so far it would appear to be satisfactory.-J. ROBSON.

ROOM-GARDENING.-One of the prettiest objects I ever beheld is a Spruce cone filled with sand and grass seed, which sprouted and grew out of the scales. It is now as large as a cocoa nut with the husk on, and of the most vivid green colour. The

grass grows with a luxuriance that is remarkable. To produce this charming specimen the cone was baked in a stove oven till the scales opened out equally. It was then carefully filled with equal parts of sand and grass seed, a string tied to the top, and the whole suspended in the dark, in a jar, with water enough to come half way over the cone. In a week it was placed in the sunlight, when the seed sprouted rapidly, and in a month filled a gallon jar completely. It has been taken out and hung in the window exposed to the air of the room. Every morning it is thoroughly soaked in milkwarm water.-(Correspondent of New York Tribune.)

MUSHROOM CULTURE.

[Read at the Maidstone Gardeners' Mutual Improvement Association,
April 1st, 1874.]

ALTHOUGH I am unable to give the exact date when gardeners of this county first practised the cultivation of the Mushroom, I am right in stating that for fully 150 years Mushrooms have been grown and esteemed in Kent as an article of food; for in a book on gardening, written by Bradley in 1724, their cultivation is alluded to; and again in the second edition of Miller's "Gardener's Dictionary," published in 1754, or thirty years later, an improved system of cultivation is given, such as was practised in those days by the market gardeners near London.

It has long been known that the family of Agaricus to which the Mushroom belongs is a numerous one, and that there are many poisonous as well as edible species among them, but it is one of the latter division, called Agaricus campestris or common field Mushroom, which seems to have been the sort first cultivated. It has been handed down to us by our earliest celebrated gardeners as the best species for kitchen use, and I believe it is still recognised with the same favour; for although there are many other edible sorts, they are not sufficiently known, or their wholesomeness is questioned, and the difficulty of distinguishing them from the poisonous species acts as a barrier to their cultivation; even if they were better known I have a doubt if they would ever take its place.

Among the numerous operations of gardening the cultivation of the Mushroom may be taken as one of the most curious, and to those who are inclined for study here is material for instructive observation, which, if only directed to finding out for themselves how a Mushroom is produced, and watching its development, cannot fail to prove interesting. If the opinions of some of our early authors be accepted as true, Mushrooms first spring from seed which is so small as not to be visible to the naked eye, but in such enormous quantities as to amount to many millions from one Mushroom. When these seeds are deposited in a substance favourable to their development they produce what is called spawn, and this in time becomes a Mushroom. Spawn when in good condition is a fine white fibre, like minute threads running in all directions through and over the substance containing it, and these threads, when deposited in suitable material, produce a quantity of small white tubers which develope into Mushrooms.

I will now enter upon the more practical part of my paper, and will begin with the preparation of spawn. A hundred years ago or more spawn was sought for at places where horses were kept, in dry dunghills, and was also collected from old rich pastures in September, the season at which Mushrooms spring-up without artificial aid. Since that time, however, the preparation of spawn by artificial means has developed into quite a trade among nurserymen, so that those gardeners who do not make their own spawn, and have not a great demand for Mushrooms, have an easy means of procuring it. On the other hand, there are some gardeners as well as growers for market who find it most convenient to make their own spawn, and I think every gardener should try his hand at it, in case it should ever be required of him. About fourteen years ago I made about fifty cakes of spawn, and the first Mushrooms I ever grew were produced from it, and this is the way I made it.

Collect a barrowful of cow dung from cows that are fed on dry fattening food, get also about the same quantity of horse droppings, from which the coarse straw should be separated; likewise get about a bushel of sifted loam, with little road grit to add to it if likely to become too close. Take it all to a dry shed and lay the manure out to dry. While this is going on procure a quantity of clean fresh straw and chop it into lengths of about an inch. In due time mix these ingredients well together by treading and beating so as to crush all solid substances,