34 THE BOOK OF THE DAFFODIL 



ing their excellence), but also an unusually small 

 proportion of unhealthy bulbs. So I recommend a not 

 too heavy loam a well-drained soil of medium con- 

 sistency, with a certain character of grittiness as the 

 best all round soil for Narcissi. The particular con- 

 stitutions, however, of the different groups should be 

 considered as much as possible. The Poeticus and 

 Burbidgei varieties, with almost all the Star Narcissi and 

 a few of the stronger Daffodils (such as " Emperor," 

 and the stronger kinds of Bicolors) produce their best 

 results in good, fairly strong, moist loam ; the more 

 delicate varieties in a medium soil, inclining to light 

 (sandy, gravelly, or stony). The White Trumpet 

 Daffodils, most beautiful of all the Narcissi, and among 

 the most uncertain, with some of the more uncertain 

 kinds of self-yellow Daffodils (especially those of Spurius 

 blood, also Maximus and Minor), do best in maiden 

 turfy loam, and soon become diseased in soil that has 

 much humus in it. Heavy beds should be mixed with 

 rock gravel or some other gritty material. The White 

 Daffodils also do well in soil that has some peat. 



(2) As TO SITUATION AND POSITION. Of course it 

 is delightful in spring to see the bright cheery flowers 

 of the Narcissus in large irregularly shaped masses in 

 the hardy flower borders, and cheap bulbs of strong, 

 good kinds may well be planted in such a position. Such 

 strong and inexpensive kinds may also be grown in beds 

 in the front garden, arranged in clumps at such a 

 distance every way as shall leave room for planting half 

 hardy annuals between them. This will make the beds 

 gay with flowers later on during the summer months. 

 It will not be advisable of course to use choice kinds 

 for such a purpose, and when any such plan is adopted, 

 it will be necessary to keep the bed in good heart by 

 giving a surface mulching of well decomposed stable 

 manure every year. The better kinds, however, 



