CHAPTER XL 



CROSS-FERTILISATION RAISING SEEDLINGS. 



THE flowers we admire so much in a good daffodil 

 garden, or at a Daffodil Show, are some of them true 

 species, e.g. Poeticus, Jonquilla, Triandrus, Juncifolius, 

 Pseudo-Narcissus, etc., etc., and some of them wild 

 hybrids, though now cultivated in gardens, e.g. Odorus, 

 Bernardi, etc., etc., but the greater number are " garden 

 hybrids," and other garden seedlings, the result of cross- 

 fertilisation, either natural or artificial, which has been 

 effected between different daffodils under cultivation. 

 Cross-fertilisation is therefore a very important matter in 

 daffodil culture. 



Within the perianth tube and corona of every daffodil 

 flower, as was pointed out in chapter ii., there is a long 

 slender style ; this is flattened out at the end into what 

 is called the "stigma"; and lying round it are six 

 stamens with enlargements at the ends called " anthers." 

 When fully developed the anthers are covered with a 

 very fine dust-like substance called " pollen," and the 

 stigma at its full development exhibits a slight stickiness 

 which assists it in retaining any pollen dust that may be 

 brought in contact with it. Such contact may be effected 

 in the course of nature by the action of the wind or by 

 insects who carry the pollen on their bodies, and when 

 this "pollination" takes place under favourable conditions, 

 the flower becomes fertilised, and the ovary which is 

 connected with the style and stigma is enabled to pro- 

 duce fruitful seeds ; and these seeds, when properly 



