ais tks a 
The poetic Narcissus has a snow-white flower, with a 
yellow cup in the centre, fringed on the border with bril- 
liant crimson cirelet. It is sweet scented, and flowers in 
May. The cup in the center is supposed to contain the 
tears of the ill-fated Narcissus. All this class are long 
established favorites in our gardens, and have been culti- _ 
vated for years. We remember them in our boyhood as — 
the never to. be forgotten ‘ Daffy-Down-Dilly,” and 
to-day we see them everywhere. around us as “ Butter 
Cups,’”’ ‘‘ Butter and Eggs,”’ and various other appellations 
which they respond to. They are, however, all alike for 
their earliness and fragrance, and all delight in a rich, 
deep soil made porous with sand and well rotted manure. 
All of them are entirely hardy. A nun:ber of these force 
very well and are much used for holiday flowers in con- 
nection with Roman Hyacinths, ete. For this purpose 
they must be potted in September in fresh loam, rotted 
manure, and leaf mould, with half of either quantity of 
sand. In potting, the neck of the bulb should be kept 
above the surface of the soil, that the roots may have so 
much more space in the pot; and when the potting is 
completed they should be placed together, either in a 
~ cold frame or in some convenient place, so that they may 
be covered a foot thick with fresh leaves. These exclude 
light and prevent frost from getting to the reots, both 
essential to aspeedy excitement of reot-growth. In about 
five or six weeks it will be found that many of them have 
filled the pots with roots, and these may be taken into a 
temperature of 55° to bring on their flowers; but berore 
any plant is taken from the bed of leaves, be sure that it 
has made a good stock of healthy roots, or it will be 
spoiled by the forcing process. Narcissi do not require a 
powerful heat to bring out their flowers, and the supply 
of water should be sufficient, but by no means excessive. 
i 
3 
ar) 
Lae 
} y » ¥ 
he ale, ‘ - 
Bi Ly, a ey Uh - 
