The Fungus Industry.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 212, 23 July 1887, Page 4

The Fungus Industry.

JTungus gathering has become quite an established source of income to West Coast bueh settlers. A correspondent of aTaranaki paper thus describes how the gathered fungus is dried during the winter boason :—: — In the firet place a trench is dug, about four feet by six, and eighteen inches deep, aerops this (ire laid sheets of iron, and upon the ron fungus is laid. A strong fire xinder this soon causes the fungus to steam, and when it is about half dry it is removed to a afcand made with four forked sticks, two straight saplings laid in the forks and sheets of iron (five feet long) laid on top, these being about three feet from the .ground. There are also two sides, about three feet six inches high, but ,no ends, The whole jp covered \yjth a large sheet, which can fre

rc*ft<W&£ during the fine weather. Four of t&e'ribdve are inoperation.drying sometimes over's, bag a day. One drawback to drying faitgas with the tire is that the weight *s cw*tly reduced, the sun-dried article beiit£ wmch the moist profitable. Wire netting id' drying is not much üßid. The &mn\\ pieces fall through the holee, and tlio fuogfifi dries too quick, aud ia also liable to become ignited.