382 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
attending these large collections—namely, they are a little con¬ 
fusing. At the first glance all appear equally good, and in each 
bed we find some fresh beauty remarkable either for its rich 
golden hue, the contrast of pure white and primrose, or an 
enchanting grace of form, all having special claims upon our 
attention. It is for this reason that selections are of great value 
to amateurs and others who may not have the time or opportunity 
to carefully compare so many with a view to separating the most 
distinct. Both Messrs. Barr and Ware have sent us specimens of 
a number of their best varieties, and from these we have selected 
several as particularly worthy of note, some of which are shown 
in the accompanying woodcuts, and others will be described in a 
subsequent issue. 
In the large plate (fig. 77, p. 387) is represented a group of Messrs. 
Barr’s varieties, which include three of the beautiful hybrids or 
crosses that have been obtained by ardent admirers of the beau¬ 
tiful genus in comparatively recent years. 1, Backhousei is 
named in honour of a raiser and grower of Daffodils, Mr. Back¬ 
house of Wearsdale. Yorkshire, and forms one of a type, as it were. 
The petals are ovate, pale yellow, and spreading, the crown being 
large, and rich orange. It is a distinct and attractive form. 2, 
Albicans has very pale sulphur yellow flowers nearly white, the 
petals and crown being of similar tint. The long straight tube in 
this form is one of the distinguishing marks. 3, Nelsoni consti¬ 
tutes another type of hybrids which have been termed shortened 
bicolors, and are regarded as intermediate between bicolor and 
Macleayi. That figured has white rounded petals with a short 
bright yellow crown—a most pleasing contrast. 4, Barri con- 
spicuus is one of a third group of crosses said to be between N. 
incomparabilis and N. odorus. That now specially referred to 
is a charming form with pale yellow rounded petals, and a 
shallow open rich orange crown, having in a young state a bright 
scarlet margin. 
The small engraving (fig. 76) represents one of Mr. Ware’s 
gems—Narcissus triandrus, a dwarf and pretty species which has 
been long known in this country, having been originally intro¬ 
duced from the continent nearly two centuries ago. The small 
neat pale yellow flowers are well shown in the woodcut, with one 
leaf, which, as can be seen, is rush-like in form. 
OUTDOOR MUSHROOM CULTURE. 
Mr. Muir has no doubt travelled extensively, but has never 
seen an outdoor Mushroom bed with “ half a crop,” yet some¬ 
times be has gathered “a few” from outside beds. Your corre¬ 
spondent, competent as a gardener as all admit him to be, 
evidently lacks experience on the subject to which he has re¬ 
ferred in a left-handed manner on page 361. In his extremity 
he has alluded to a particular writer as giving instructions on 
Mushroom-growing in houses as well as outdoors, as if there were 
anything inconsistent in that. The said writer at least practises 
all he preaches, and does not attempt to disparage what he does 
not understand. 
Like Mr. Muir, I have travelled somewhat; it is even possible 
I may have been longer on the road and gone futher afield than 
he has, and certainly I must have been in a different direction, 
for I have seen miles of Mushroom beds outdoors during the past 
thirty years, and have assisted to make not a few. Many of the 
beds I have thought yielded good crops, as they were often 
better than that represented on page 359, which is a fair crop ; 
and I have thought the produce was also good, because better 
than is usually seen in prize collections of vegetables at the leading 
shows. 
Mr. Muir has often been told that Mushrooms can “easily” be 
had with the temperature at 90° in the shade or down at zero. 
There appears to be a little exaggeration somewhere, probably 
on the part of the said informants. Mushrooms cannot “ easily ” 
be had under these extreme conditions, but they can be grown in 
the open air during several months in the year as easily as in 
houses, and as quickly, with at least equally heavy crops, and as 
a rule much finer produce. 
As showing that Mushrooms can be grown outdoors wdth some 
approach to regularity, and that a good crop is not a matter of 
chance, I will adduce the latest records of the yield from 150 yards 
of beds—namely, during last month. The following are the dates 
of gathering and the quantities sold April 1st, 122 lbs. ; 4th, 
73 lbs. ; 6th, 114 lbs.; 8th, 108 tbs. ; 11th, 160 lbs.; 13th, 104 lbs; 
15th. 159 lbs.; 18th, 207 lbs.; 20th, 180 lbs.; 22nd, 180 lbs.; 25th, 
150 lbs. ; 27th, 222 lbs.; 29th, 221 lbs.; or a total of 2000 lbs. 
This is a perfectly fair example of ordinary practice. I may also 
add that one bed 25 yards long yielded in the same month 529 lbs. 
during three weeks—namely, 159 lbs. one week, 180 lbs. the next, 
and 170 lbs. last week. 
When Mr. Muir can dispute the accuracy of these results he will 
have a stronger case against the outdoor system of Mushroom cul¬ 
ture than he has now ; and with the object of aiding him to accom¬ 
plish in a week what he has failed to see in his year of travel over 
a kingdom, I am authorised to state that he can see, by appoint¬ 
ment, outdoor Mushroom beds (bearing, as I think, a little more 
than “half a crop”) on application to Mr. Barter, Portland House, 
Lancefield Street, Harrow Road, London, W. In fact, anyone on 
writing to Mr. Barter and affording time for his reply, can see the 
beds in question. Already three tons of Mushrooms have been 
sold this season from a plot of ground in what may be fairly 
termed an open field, and two tons more will be gathered during 
the next three months.—J. 
In your last issue Mr. Muir appears to doubt the possibility of 
satisfactory crops of Mushrooms being produced at almost any 
period of the year on “outdoor beds.” A week ago I should have 
been almost equally doubtful, but having read the articles now ap¬ 
pearing in the Journal, with the somewhat startling figures therein 
contained as to the quantity produced and profits realised by one 
of the best market growers (Mr. J. Barter), I took the opportunity 
afforded me on Wednesday last of visiting Mr. Barter’s ground 
and judging for myself. I was fortunate in meeting him there, 
and in arriving whilst the process of gathering the crop for 
the next day’s market was going on. I was pleased to find 
him ready to explain fully all points essential to success in their 
cultivation ; and I am now convinced from what I then saw and 
heard, that the production by him during nearly ten out of the 
twelve months in the year of crops similar to that figured in your 
last issue, is as easy and certain as is the production by a gardener 
of the ordinary routine crops of the kitchen garden. I am also 
convinced from what I then saw that the figures and statements 
made by Mr. Wright and the wood engraving above referred to 
are not exaggerations of the actual facts. 
Mr. Muir says his experience of outdoor beds is for them to pro¬ 
duce at best only half a crop, and that probably not until months 
after they had been made up and spawned. Mr. Barter’s ex¬ 
perience is for them to produce almost invariably a first gathering 
in about two months after being made up, and to continue to pro¬ 
duce heavy weekly gatherings for a period of about ten weeks ; 
also, so far as I then saw, the produce is of far better quality than 
that usually produced in Mushroom houses, the Mushrooms being 
much more solid and heavy. 
I am glad this method of Mushroom culture is receiving the at¬ 
tention it demands, as the subject is of very great importance to 
gardeners generally ; and I would strongly advise all gardeners 
who can do so to not only read Mr. Wright’s articles as they ap¬ 
pear, but also to pay a visit to Mr. Barter’s grounds, when I believe 
they will, like myself, learn a better lesson in Mushroom cultiva¬ 
tion than they have learnt in the whole of their previous expe¬ 
rience.—W. K. W. 
MR. THOMAS WOODHEAD. 
I LITTLE thought when mentioning the name of this most ex 
cellent Auricula grower, and expressing a hope that his serious 
illness might have a favourable issue, that before those lines were 
in print he should be taken from us. I some two years ago made 
his acquaintance at Shobden Head, and gave an account of his 
magnificent collection of Auriculas, and of the very hospitable 
reception I had from him and his good sister. Little did I think 
then that it was the only visit I should ever pay him, living as he 
did in so secluded a position. He was but little known compara¬ 
tively speaking, but he was a true sample of a north countryman 
—rough it may be, but downright and sincere, a warm friend and 
an enthusiastic florist or rather auricularist, for it was his one 
flower, and to it he had given his first and only love. He had 
begun to raise seedlings, many of which were of great promise. 
One was exhibited at the late Show, and gained a first-class certifi¬ 
cate ; it was, however, inferior to one in the same class, Miss 
Woodhead, which it is to be hoped may yet find its way into com¬ 
merce. I am sure all who know him and how sincerely he was 
attached to his sister will deeply feel for her in her bereavement. 
May 1 take this opportunity of correcting a mistake (there were 
several), in my last paper, where I am made to say in writing of 
Mr. Horner’s stand, that some were his own seedlings ; it should 
have been seven. —D., Deal. 
I AM sorry to have to inform you of the death of my dear friend, 
Mr. Thomas Woodhead. He died on Sunday the 30th ult., at 
4 p.m. He had been ill since last November, but we did not 
anticipate his death, which took us all by surprise. On the Thurs- 
