Straw vs. Wood chips?

[xyzzyx]

In article <9507312146.AA07593 at forestry.utoronto.ca>, 
dobranic at forestry.utoronto.ca says...
>
>Hello,
>        For growing Pleurotus sp. indoors, has anyone found either straw 
>or wood chips better for yield? What advantages does one have over the other?
>I would appreciate the help.
>Thanks,
>Jason

they both work pretty well, but hardwood works better than e.g. pine which 
tends to stunt growth.  Actually, I recommend corn cob chips as far superior 
to either, for Pleurotus.  They are very uniform in size and easy to handle, 
especially during pasteurization steps.  They drain well and hold their shape 
well, without getting sticky.  They are easy to distribute to allow for more 
effective mycelial coverage, as well.  I get them from a local animal feed 
store, they are sold as small animal bedding (e.g. "Bed-o-cobs" brand); make 
sure they are not treated with anything nasty (esp. fungicides !).  BTW, they 
work well as filler with Lentinus as well, though you will need to mix in 
hardwood chips.

George