CHAPTER XII, 



HOW TO FORM A COLLECTION OF DAFFODILS. 



IT is by no means an easy task out of the almost endless 

 varieties now in cultivation to make a good selection, 

 and the beginner certainly needs guidance. 



(l) Regard should be had to the relative time of 

 flowering of the different kinds, so as to secure a long 

 flowering season; (2) the collection should be repre- 

 sentative of all the more beautiful classes ; (3) where 

 several varieties which flower together are rather similar, 

 the inferior should be dispensed with ; (4) a first-rate 

 collection should have a considerable proportion of the 

 beautiful white and sulphur Daffodils, and of the white 

 Leedsii Narcissi, and also a good number of the red- 

 cupped varieties. All this cannot be effected at once 

 without considerable expense and without considerable 

 knowledge. But with well-chosen lists to select from 

 it may be accomplished gradually, and the expense kept 

 within reasonable limits. 



It is a great but very common mistake to spend money 

 in buying poor varieties because they are cheap. Good 

 things take no more space and give, as a rule, no more 

 trouble than poor ones ; and with the Narcissus, as with 

 most other things, " the best are the cheapest " in the 

 long run. Many of the best are costly, but some most 

 excellent kinds may be bought at a very reasonable 

 price. I would suggest that about half the initial 

 outlay should be invested in varieties which are both 

 cheap and, at the same time, of high quality : these will 



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