“The best season to find spawn in the greatest plenty and perfection is the Autumn and early part of Winter; for spawn being of a singular temperament, impatient of much wet, or cold, or of being much exposed to the open air, it should be carefully collected for use before it is injured and weakened by the inclemency of the weather; for it is of much importance to have it in full vigour, when it may be directly used in spawning beds, provided it be quite dry; otherwise let it lye by for a few weeks.”
“Spawn is obtained the most readily and in abundance in parcels of decayed dung and dungy composts; but commonly more plenteously and good in rotten horse stable dung, composed of the short dung and mo...”
Fungiculture
“In all decayed dung-heaps and hot-beds, old dungy composts, and well dunged foils, not too wet, or the dung very buttery rotten, you may be successful.”
Fungiculture
“Let it be observed... of the spawn in general, that it must be kept dry till wanted; and if any lumps at first gathering appear wet, spread them in a shady covered place before they are laid up in a h...”
Fungiculture
“No dung answers the purpose so well as that of the horse, the dung and urine of this animal, together with the wet straw litter of the stalls in the stables, being of a hot quality, ferments, and acqu...”
Fungiculture
“Let it remain together three or four weeks, according to the quantity and strength of heat, in order that it may meliorate, by discharging the rank obnoxious steam; and if it is turned over once every...”
Fungiculture