SB 353 .J25 Copy 1 HE CULTIVATION OF MUSHROOMS BY EDWARD H. JACOB Price, SO cents WEST CHESTER. PA. MANUFACTURER OF MUSHROOM SPAWN Copyrighted 1914, by E. H. Jacob. A STUDY OF MUSHROOMS AND MUSHROOM SPAWN BY EDW. H. JACOB West Chester, Pa. Copyrighted 1914, by E. H. Jacob PREFACE •T^HIS PAMPHLET has been written by one who has had a large and successful experience in growing Mushrooms for the markets. It was his misfortune to meet failure after failure at first, due principally to poor Spawn, unfavorable conditions of the beds and other reasons. He is, therefore, unusually well qualified to guide those who desire to grow Mushrooms for home and local use. It is my desire to give concise, accurate and most reliable information without making any misleading or extravagant statements, and to write in such a way as to be easily understood and successfully followed. EDWARD H. JACOB ©aA369705 THE SOURCE OF SUCCESS It is acknowledged by all successful mushroom growers that the first and most important thing to be considered is the spawn. No matter how favorable conditions may be, no matter what care is taken in making the beds, selecting the location or composting the manure, if the spawn is not good, mushrooms will not be plentiful and in many cases no mushrooms at all will make appearance. The writer of this pamphlet spent nine years in carefully studying out the spawn question, and during that period spent thousands and thousands of dollars in experimental work. All of the different makes of spawn obtainable were tested, both French, English and American, with varying results. Some- times he obtained a reasonable yield of mushrooms and fre- quently none at all. The result of all these experiments brought the conclusion that the only reliable method of producing spawn is by a graft- ing process discovered by Dr. B. M. Duggar while he was con- nected with the United States Department of Agriculture at ^^'ashington, D. C. This method of making spawn is directly responsible for the liberal supply of fresh mushrooms on the market in season. If we had to depend on foreign spawn, as in the past, mush- rooms would still be scarce and high. The grower would rather pick a pound of mushrooms to each square foot of bed surface at an average price of 25 cents a pound than to pick one-half pound (more often less) at 50 cents a pound, which was the rule years ago. MUSHROOMS GROWN FOR HOME USE It is a very easy matter to plant a bed of mushrooms in the cellar or in an outbuilding, for home use, by following- instructions and using good spawn. In this case the results are reasonably certain. It is a very great satisfaction to have this luxury during the entire winter season at the very lowest cost. Growing mushrooms on a large scale becomes more com- plicated, and would require the continuous attention of a com- petent and interested person. HOW MANY MUSHROOMS ARE GROWN IN THE UNITED STATES Conditions vary from year to year, and no accurate esti- mate is available as to how many pounds of mushrooms are grown in the United States. We manufactured and sold enough spawn last season to grow 2,000,000 pounds of mush- rooms, the output of the year having increased by 100,000 bricks over the previous year. This does not mean that new growers have come into the field, but, rather, the discarding of poor or unreliable spawn by old growers has been general. It would therefore be reasonable to conclude that from four to five million pounds of fresh mushrooms (aside from field-grown) are now used annually in the United States. COST OF GROWING A POUND OF MUSHROOMS The actual cost of growing mushrooms varies according to the yield per square foot of bed surface. If one pound is picked to every square foot, the cost is much lowxr than when only one-half pound to the square foot is picked. Growers who are obliged to purchase manure at a distance, pay the freight on it and employ competent men to handle and care for the mushroom-growing plants, estimate the cost of producing mushrooms at 15 to 25 cents per pound. Those who grow mushrooms for pleasure, and have their own stables, or get manure from a neighboring stable, are at very little expense and could grow mushrooms at less than half the above cost. 4 MARKET PRICES Users of mushrooms generally pay at the store from 40 to 60 cents a pound for mushrooms, and when these can be delivered from the grower to the user, these prices are not overestimated. If mushrooms are to be grown for the larger markets like New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Pittsburgh or other Eastern cities, the net prices realized by the Eastern grower will be much less. In fact, the markets occasionally are badlv overstocked, and mushrooms sell below the actual cost of production. It would therefore seem to be most profitable when mushrooms can be delivered to the user by the grower. In a majority of smaller towns and cities mushrooms are rather scarce, and local dealers are glad to take them at com- pensating prices. Meat is high in price and likely to be still higher. Mushrooms can often be used as a most delicious substitute. HOW TO COOK AND SERVE MUSHROOMS We have prepared a separate sheet giving the best and most practical ways of cooking mushrooms. This will be forwarded to anyone making application for it and enclosing a two-cent stamp. OUR METHOD OF TESTING ORIGINAL CULTURES Before our Brandywine Spawn is made up in quantity, the different varieties are first tested in our own beds and accurate record of production is each day carefully made. In this way we eliminate entirely unproductive varieties and choose only those which are most vigorous, perfect in shape and color and will make the greatest yield. VH ■\^ ^HB t ' p:^ iNN B i \ S\ \ J|BBi / «ij|IH|i ^^bSs^BW i| ^^k 1 N m^^m* ^"^B ii' 1 i , |>V.V^|^^^H ■^ 3 a ■ ~ < , *- • »> 3 _« OQ « E « c < < ft, -O y * 3 M 2 c 3 2 U c-S .2-xj 3 h SPAWNING The bricks of spawn should be broken into ten or twelve pieces and placed on the surface of the beds 8 to lo inches apart each way. Then go over the bed again, raising the man- ure and burying the spawn about half -inch below the surface and tamping (pressing) firmly over each piece, leaving the bed level on top. In about two weeks dig up a piece or two of spawn care- fully, and if the mycelium is noticed running out like a mould from the brick into the manure it is time to case. This is done by putting one inch of sifted soil evenly over the top of the manure. VENTILATION Where mushrooms are grown on a large scale, proper ventilation is very necessary. The overhead ventilators are generally preferred, as the ventilation is more uniform with- out draught. The ventilators should remain open when outside tem- perature is right, and at other times for one or two hours each day. Where small beds are used in cellars or out-buildings, extra ventilation is not so necessary. Avoid all draughts. WATERING AMiile the room should be kept moist, little or no water should be used on the beds after spawning till the mushrooms begin to appear, which is generally from six to eight weeks from time of spawning. Then the beds at first should be sprinkled lightly every day or two till the surface is quite modst, after that one or two sprinklings a week will be sufficient, according to the condi- tion of the beds. If they get dry quickly water oftener. 13 PICKING The mushrooms should be picked .once a day just before they open out. {Sec cut.) The root should be twisted gently and taken out with the mushroom disturbing- the earth as little as possible. The stems should be cut off and the mushrooms packed in baskets. When grown in small quantities, the i -pound ventilated boxes are often used as a matter of convenience, but the large growers ship generally in four-pound baskets. (Sec cut.) Ripe Enough to Pick The One-Pound Ventilated Boxes The beds may be expected to produce under ordinary conditions for a period of from two to four months, depending largely upon the temperature. At an average of 50 degrees they will yield at least four months and every other day would be quite often enough to pick. At 65 degrees they must be picked regularly every day and the crop will be almost completed in two months. Cooler temperature makes heavier and better mushrooms. 14 Points to Remember Mushrooms cannot be successfully grown at a tempera- ture above 65 degrees. A temperature of 70 degrees for 24 hours will kill all growing mushrooms, but more will come up from the same beds when the temperature falls. \^iolent fluctuations in temperature are undesirable. Cold wdll retard growth, but will not otherwise injure the beds. Freezing will destroy mushrooms already above the ground, but will not hurt the spawn in the beds. There is probably more injury done by overwatering than by any other one thing. Keep the surface moist but never soak the beds. Never cover the bed with earth until it has been spawned 10 days or two weeks, or the temperature of the manure may rise sufficiently to injure the spawn. Never purchase spawn because it is cheap, neither be led into paying extravagant prices through misleading advertise- ments. If any insect pest makes appearance or any diseased con- dition arises, write the United States Department of Agricul- ture at Washington, D. C, for information. Spawn should be as fresh as it is possible to obtain it, should be kept in a cool dry place till used. Improper storage will damage it in a comparatively short time. Imported brands of spawn are apt to be old and often worthless. A THE FOUR-POUND SHIPPING BASKET LIBRARY OF CONGRESS