AMARYLLIDE.^. 28 1 



length, and they are white. The crown is about half an inch 

 deep and the same width, and bright yellow. Flowers in April 

 and May. Native of the Mediterranean. 



N. odorus, syn. Queltia odora {Fragrant yellow N.) — The 

 leaves are about ^ inch broad, and about i foot long, and 

 rather deeply channeled. The flower-scape is i foot or more 

 in height, nearly round, supporting generally several flowers. 

 The flowers are bright yellow ; the divisions overlap each other 

 for a good part of their length. The crown is about ^ inch deep 

 and about as wide, and slightly wrinkled. Flowers fragrant, 

 appearing in April and May. Native of southern Europe. 



N. poeticus {Poefs N.) — This is the deliciously-fragrant, 

 chastely-beautiful white Narcissus, with the crimson-edged, 

 saucer-shaped crown that is so universally admired, and so 

 very generally grown in all classes of gardens. Description of 

 so well known a favourite is needless, and its beauty and sweet- 

 ness are more powerful recommendations than words of mine 

 could be. But it is deserving of more extensive patronage 

 than, with all its popularity, it at present receives. It is accom- 

 modating and hardy, and may be naturalised on banks and in 

 open woods, while it should ever be in profusion in the more 

 frequented parts of gardens and grounds. Like most of the 

 Narcissi^ it is easily forced in pots if the process is not too 

 hotly conducted. The bulbs should be potted in autumn, 

 before activity or root-action commences in them, and be 

 stored away with the pots plunged to the rims in a cold frame, 

 until the pots are filled with roots, when they may be trans- 

 ferred to a warm frame, greenhouse, or parlour, to develop their 

 flowers. There are many varieties, distinguished by trifling 

 and not always constant characters, but the best for garden 

 purposes is, perhaps, N. p. grandiflorus, which flowers slightly 

 earlier than the ordinary form, and has larger flowers with very 

 broadly overlapping segments. The double varieties will also 

 be admired by many, and are well worth growing, being as 

 easily cultivated as the single ones. Native of southern Europe. 

 Flowers in May. 



N. pseudo-narcissus {Daffodil). — This is perhaps even more 

 commonly cultivated than the last, though less worthy and ad- 

 mirable. The ordinary fonn need not be described here, it is 

 so well known ; but there are several well-marked varieties 

 not so generally cultivated in private gardens deserving more 

 particular mention, especially as they are vended under spe- 

 cific names. N. pseudo-narcissus var. bicolor is known under 

 numerous synonyms, as N. AJax, Ajax bicolor., and A. lorifolius. 

 It has the leaves about i foot long, and the flower-stalk about 



