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of litter is then required, as the frost has a tendency to 
check the bloom. When the flowers appear, if they are 
protected from the sun by a light canvas, the period of 
bloom may be kept up for three or four weeks. The 
colors are generally better if not shaded at all, but in that 
case the bloom would be soon over. Sometimes a single 
day’s hot sun will completely spoil them. When the 
flowers begin to fade, they should be cut away and 
removed from the bed. Assoonas the stems of the Tulip 
turn yellow, and the leaves begin to dry, they may be 
taken up and put in a cool, dry place. When dry, thor- 
oughly clean off the old skin and dirt, and put in paper 
bags, ready for planting out again in October. The Tulip 
is also now extensively forced for cut flowers during the 
Winter and Spring months. The method of culture is 
identical with that of the Roman Hyacinth and Paper 
Narcissus. 
NARCISSUS. 
A’ HE white or poetical Narcissus is adopted as the 
= emblem of egotism, because, according to the mythol- 
ogists, it owes its origin to a beautiful youth of Reeotia, 
of whom it had been foretold that he should live happily 
until he beheld his own face. One day, when heated by 
the chase, Narcissus sought to quench his thirst in a 
stream; in so doing he beheld the reflection of his own 
features, of which he immediataly became enamored. 
He was spellbound to the spot where he pined to death, 
and was metamorphosed by the gods into the flower that 
bears his name. When the Naiads had prepared the 
funeral pile for Narcissus, the body was missing: 
Instead whereof a yellow flower was found, 
With tufts of white about the button crowned. 
