NARCISSUS. 265 



bell] ; aiau ; aioult. In Italian, narcisso giallo [yellow 

 narcissus]. 



The Sweet-scented Narcissus, or Great Jonquil, is a 

 native of the South of Europe. Most of the species are 

 fragrant ; but this is the most powerful, and is often found 

 too much so to be endured in a room. 



There is a species called the Hoop-petticoat Narcissus, 

 of which the cup is two inches long, very broad at the brim, 

 and is said to be formed like the old bell-hoop-petticoat 

 formerly worn by ladies in this country. 



The Polyanthus Narcissus — called in France la narcisse 

 de Constantinople; in Languedoc, pissaukich: in Italy, 

 tazetta — grows naturally in the East, and in many parts 

 of Europe. There are more varieties of this than of any 

 other species. That which is generally called the Cyprus 

 Narcissus, with very double flowers, the outer petals white, 

 the inner, some white and some orange, is the most beauti- 

 ful of them all, and the most esteemed for blowing in 

 glasses in a room. Its scent is very agreeable, and less 

 powerful than that of the Jonquil. 



The White, or Poetical Narcissus, — called by the 

 French janette des contois — has a snow-white flower, with 

 a yellow cup in the centre, fringed on the border with a 

 circle of bright purple. It is sweet-scented, a native of 

 many parts of Europe, and flowers in May. There is a 

 variety with double flowers. 



There is a species of Narcissus which is called the Late- 

 flowering, and does not blow till autumn. The Common 

 Jonquil is altogether yellow, as is also the Sweet-scented ; 

 but the latter has the cup somewhat deeper coloured 

 than the petals. 



The preferable kinds are the Polyanthus Narcissus, the 

 Jonquil, and the Poetical Narcissus ; but any of them 

 may be blown, either in glasses or pots, without difficulty, 

 and may be readily increased by offsets. 



