For October, 1921 



731 



On Daffodils: Tips for the Inexperienced 



You get liold of a dalTddil hull), but there is niithing 

 in itself to tell anyone who handles it for the first 

 time that the earlier it is planted in the ground, the 

 better it will be for it in the future. It will bear a larger 

 flower and in every way be stronger and healthier. F'lant 

 as early as possible in beds or borders, but never after the 

 middle of November. Point No. 1. 



When daffodils are put into pots, the first essential is 

 to do air in our pow-er to see that they form good roots. 

 Just as a kitten has to have its eyes opened before it can 

 see, so a bulb has to have roots before it can put forth 

 healthy growth. It is by their means that it can take its 

 proper food and absorb the liquid without which it cannot 

 live. Now it is in the order of Nature that darkness 

 helps root growth : hence, to start with, the pots of bulbs 

 should be buried for about six weeks in sand, fibre or 

 clean sweet ashes. Point No. 2. 



-V bulb is a storehouse for Winter. Zoology tells us 

 how certain animals store in underground holes sufficient 

 nourishment to keep them alive during the Winter, so we 

 learn from botany that a daft'odil is able by means of its 

 foliage to manufacture food, and that it can then, by a 

 certain wonderful arrangement in its interior, send it 

 down, as it were, by a lift into its underground storehouse 

 • — its bulb. I am open to correction, but I believe a very 

 great proportion of this food is made after the plant has 

 done flowering; hence it must be the object of the ,gar- 

 dener to see that the green leaves are retained as long as 

 possible. Leaves, then, should never be cut off while 

 they are green. Point No. 3. 



In this article I have in mind those who wish to plant 

 in ordinary beds or borders ; hence two questions need be 

 answered: (1) How deep must the bulbs be buried, and 

 (2) should the ground have any special manure or be in 

 anv way ])repared. A good general rule with respect to 

 depth is to have at least 3 inches of soil over the top of 

 the dry bulb when planted, and if there are 4 inches or 5 

 inches (in all but the very heaviest soils) so much the 

 better. Of cotirse, tiny mites like mimmus and cycla- 

 iiiinciis would do very well with only 2 inches. This is 

 Point No. 4. 



The question of manure is most iniiiortant. Like all 

 sensible men, daffodils are moderate in their eating and 

 drinking. They do not like too rich food, nor too much 

 of it. In preparing beds in which to grow a collection 

 the ideal thing is to .give the ground a jolly good dressing 

 of old farmyard manure the Autumn or Spring before 

 the daffodils are to be planted, have a crop of potatoes 

 in it. and then when prejiaring the following year for the 

 bulbs mix some bonemeal with the soil. In the case of 

 chmiiis in borders, or of beds on a lawn, wdiere the soil 

 is in good heart, all that need be done is to mix bonemeal 

 with it at ])lanting lime. This is Point No. 5. 



Some people are bothered to know if they should take 

 uji the bulbs every year, or if they should be left in the 

 ground, and if they are left in, how long should thcv be 

 left, .'\s a general rule bulbs may remain nndistiu'bed 

 for three or even four vears, after which they are all the 

 better for a change. The question of taking up or leav- 

 ing in depends, however, to some extent on the variety: 

 but ibis belongs rather to the niceties of management, and 

 the beginner had better confine his choice to varieties 

 with which one cannot well .go wrong. Bulbs should be 

 lifted after they have flowered three times in one spot. 

 Point No. 6. 



Point \o. 7 is of e(|ual inqjortance to anv of the others. 

 It is the choice of suitable varieties. In making the selec- 

 tion for outdoors which follows, I have been guided by 

 three considerations : First, each one is a reliable "doer"' ; 

 secondly, they are all of fairly moderate price; thirdly, 

 the twelve make a varied assortment and include exam- 

 ])les of the more important sections. Emperor, one of 

 the oldest of the big trumpets, with both trumpet and 

 perianth of a palish yellow. Wcardale Perfection, a 

 lar.ge pale bicolor trumpet. limprcss, another and much 

 older variety ; not so lar.ge as the last and w'ith the trum- 

 pet of a much deeper yellow. Mine, dc Graaff, classed 

 as a white trumpet, but it never goes absolutely white ; 

 nevertheless, there is no low-priced one any better. Lu- 

 cifer, one of the small number of red cups which do not 

 burn ; white perianth with a long oran.ge-red cup ; this, 

 however, is only recommended for light soil. Frank 

 Miles, a most decorative shape and of a pretty tone of 

 yellow, practically a self ; it makes an ideal flower for 

 cutting. Barrii conspicuus, one of the old varieties but 

 still one of the very hest ; the red edge of the yellow cup 

 is very charming. Seagull, white perianth with a canary 

 cup sometimes showing an edge of pale orange-red. 

 White Lady, a remarkably good Leedsii, large white peri- 

 anth and crinkled lemon cup ; no one should omit this 

 variety. Mrs. W. O. Wolscley, an almost white Giant 

 Leedsii, large cup and very white broad perianth ; only 

 recommended for light soils. If the soil is on the heavy 

 side Norah Pearson might be substituted ; but the flower 

 is more of a bicolor, as the long cup is yellow. /. T. 

 Bennett-Poe is almost a primrose self and has the charac- 

 teristic look which triandrus parentage always gives its 

 progeny ; this is seen in the shajje of the cup or trumpet. 

 Aspasia, one of the new hybrids which are taking the 

 place of the old bunch-flowered varieties of which Soldi 

 d'Or and Grand Monarqnc are typical examples. It is 

 quite hardy and has from three to five large blooms on 

 each stem ; perianth white, cud yellow-. Cassandra, one 

 of the new Poet Daffodils which mark a very great ad- 

 vance over the early-flowering ones of this section, such 

 as ornatus and angiistifolius; lar.ge, spreading pure white 

 perianth, and somewhat small poeticus eye. Horace, a 

 giant Poet Daffodil with a great deal of red in the eye; 

 Arsicnt. — Doubles are not a popular section, but this is so 

 ligiitU- 1 iiilt and of such a pleasin.g li.ght color that it is 

 becoming a very popular flower. Campcrnclle Jonquil 

 (rusulosHS variety). — Few seem to know this dainty deep- 

 yellow, bunch-flowered variety. It has three or four 

 smallish flowers on each stem and very characteristic rush- 

 like folia.ge. King Alfred. — In soils and climates where 

 the air is mild and humid, this variety should never be 

 omitted. It is a glorious big, dec]) yellow self, shapely in 

 form and tall in stem. .'Mas. it is no use tryin.g to grow it in 

 the greater part of Great P.ritain, but it is a real beauty 

 when it docs well. A list on the above lines is mv Point 

 No. 7. It is not a selection of the cheapest, but one which 

 tries to combine reasonable prices w-ith good reliable doers 

 and pleasing ;uid distinct varieties. 



It will be noticed that there is very little red coloring 

 in the collection. The reason is that red so soon burns 

 that it had better not be overdone in choosing suitalile 

 subjects for outdoor planting. I cannot after all to leave 

 out Ladv Margaret Bosca7i'cn. It is a lar.ge and effec- 

 tive bicolor incomparahilis of the Sir Watkin type, and 

 m every way a .great flower. — Rev. Joseph Jacob, in The 

 Garden. 



