The west shore., January 01, 1879, Page 27, Image 27

January, 1879.
MUSHROOMS
Few persons have a correct idea of
the cultivation of this member of the
vegetable family. Many have at
tempted to raise them in this country,
hut at such great expense that they
w ere soon obliged to abandon the un
dertaking. We will try to explain
why they can only be produced suc
cessfully and profitably in France,
whence the stock for the yearly in
creasing demand is drawn.
Take Faris and draw a circle of say
live miles around it, and you will en
close nine-tenths of the mushroom beds
from which France, as well as foreign
countries, draw their supply. Some
people have the erroneous idea that
this is due to their cultivation in the
catacombs which exist under more
than one-half the city of Faris, but this
is a mistake, as they have never been
used for such a purpose. The cata
combs were always under control of
the city, and of late visitors could not
be admitted to them on account of the
danger from the falling of old masonry.
It is a well known fact that the city of
Faris and its neighborhood is built
upon a stratum of stone and plaster,
where, for centuries, the quarryman
has constantly brought to surface the
building materials for the great city.
We can mention more particularly the
villages of Furteaux, (Jrenelle, Mason,
Blanche and Menilmantant.
Visitors may hae viewed with
much curiosity the great wheels seen
all over the country, and wondered
what was the purpose of the man
climbing them; it is the primitive
method employed by these people in
raising the stone and plaster to the sur
face, the weight of the man on the one
side of the great wheel having a rope
twisted around it, represents several
horse power. We can see the principle
illustrated on a small way in tne noisi
hie annaratus of anv hatchwav. It is
in these old (marries, abandoned on ac
count of the veins of stone or plaster
having been exhausted, that mushrooms
are grown.
These nlaccs are leased for a muni
nal sum. the lessee takinc' the risk of
losing all his materials and labor by the
invasion of water, as is oltcn tne casi
These quarries are well adapted to
ibis nuriiose: in fact, they are the only
nlaces w here these vegetables can be
profitably raised, for they must not
exposed to the light, and must have as
even a temperature as possinic
one end of the year to the other.
-nil :im I ilidVi-iMit tiiiecies of manure are
lowered into the quarries. The beds
arc arranged in rows two leet high ami
two feet brond, with rounding tops
and are two and a half feet apart. This
is to allow the laliorcrs tree accent
with basket or wheelbarrows. The
seed, which i a series of fine roots or
fibres so entwined or interwoven a to
resemble somewhat a piece of lace, is
placed between layers ofsoiland a var
iety of manures. Nothing more is re
quired but time, not even water, no
labor being necessary except to repair
the damage done by ground mice.
From two to three months ure needed
to produce the first vegetables, they
then continue to increase, and in six
months are in full bearing. Hy that
time the seed or lace work above men
tioned has crept all over the beds, and
the mushrooms grow indiscriminately
on the tops or sides.
Mushrooms are gathered every morn
ing, care being taken in picking them
net to destroy the network of seeds
underneath the layers of manure. Ev
ery day brings its crop, the large ones
alone being gathered, the others being
left for the next day's picking.
Ileds well made will last about two
years. At the expiration 01 mat tune
they must be remade, the seed gener-
itcd bv belli1' trauslerieU to other well
seasoned manure.
Mushrooms thus grown are white,
firm and tender Thev are brought t
the Faris market every morning, and
are sold at public auction, the manu
facturers of preserved vegetables being
the largest buyers.
As soon as purchased they aie
brought to the factory, where they are
at once washed and peeled by women
who make it their business, and who
accomplish their work with wonderlul
dexterity. They are put into a huge
kettle, with water slignuy saiien, ami
are allowed to boil from fifteen to
twenty minutes. Then thev are put into
tin cans, which are carefully Weighed)
the liquor m which they have been
boiled is then added, the lid is nut on,
ami the can is passeil to the soldcrer to
)C closed. This, however, is not the
l,.si .,rmrss. The cans nauni: men
soldered are put into a perforated iron
receptacle, which is raised by a power
ful lever, and lowered with its contents
into a large cylinder, the lid of which
...nri.lv fastened, then a valve is
...I in allow the free inures of
steam from ten to fifteen minutes, fnr
the purpose of producing as much vacu
um as possible, thereby insuring pres
ervation. They are then taken out,
and being allowed to cool, are ready
for labeling ami boxing, preparatory
to being shipped to anv Country. 1 bus
preserved they will keep for years in
anv climate.
We all know how they are on
sui.icd, and how they garnish a tender
fillet," or a substantial " poricrnoi.se.
The consumption of these delicious
vcetablcs is largely increasing in
-.i it... airu-lf. of anv first-
America, a.." -- - . ,
.r MS hardlv b said to tie
complete without its due proportion of
tot"'- .
Fiatr pr..- MMtaW b
Lie SLL Kur
Some men lie abed just as easy as
they tell the truth when they are wide
aw .ike.
1 le that runs may read a great man v
things concerning his character, espe
cially if he runs for an ollice.
Etiquette: "No true gentleman will
ask a lady if her coral jewelry is made
of sealing-wax."
lie said he rather guessed he knew
how to sail a boat; but the gentle ze
phyrs that kissed the wavelets over his
watery grave, mournfully whispered,
"He lulled not wisely."
Vick's Fi.dk ai. Guipk. This work
is before us, ami those who send live
cents to James Vick, Rochester, N.
V., for it will be 4ltointtd In
stead of getting a cheap thing, as the
price would seem to indicate, thev will
receive a very handsome work of one
bundled pagei ami perhaps five hun
dred illustrations not cheap, hut ele
gant illustrations, on the very best of
calandcrcd paper, and as a set ofl' to the
whole, an elegant colored plate, that
we would judge cost twice the price of
the book.
1088
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'null, initial to
nnllniiry Ink. tt M. iHintitl'iilly
MlimlfHllHl, Will III Will, IMMlllKM
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rttney tr MMtMKrtiimiiiit. Thli l iMmluvnty Mm
lnTtftBi tttOUttl of i Imlruotlv mihI nlnmi
UlrrHliirn i-vit ufTnfl fkiM" low K prion
AtMriHui: I. KumuH, DrttWtrl, PnrHwiul.Or
VALENTINES,
VALENTINES,
VALENTINES.
I i ail.1 IImI Irani in
II IK ST I1'. I, & CO.8,
Front and Flint KlrwoU, Ixit.
Stark mid Washington,
IUKTI.ANII. IIIIKIION.
By its fruits ye shall judge it!
Our.Hi tiiI
Oregon
Romody
MmL r "in
KilOls Ht Hi Hi.
Indigenous
to 0 r v g u .
The Oregon Blood Purifior. Liver
and Kidney Regulator.
III. IliaalMl KlM'WIl llali.xlr fur
1,1 rer Complaint, lYNptpia, ami
liise.iscs of the Blood.
Matmliu-liirvl anil , Ml b
H)L rrUHDZE A CO.,
AartllwafLaaU'l I TwUllata, Purtlalul.