CUT FLOWERS 41 



DAFFODILS 



As a distinctive feature of Spring Flower Shows 

 Daffodils now occupy a prominent position, and they are 

 yearly growing in favour as exhibition flowers. Not 

 many years ago Daffodils were rarely encouraged at 

 Flower Shows, but now there are Societies devoted to 

 these lovely and useful spring flowers, while they are 

 the chief attraction at a score of Flower Shows from 

 Truro to Edinburgh. 



Fortunately the Daffodils have come to be regarded 

 as exhibition flowers at a time when grace and beauty 

 are more highly regarded than mere form regulated by 

 artificial and yet cast-iron rules. Fancy the beautiful new 

 varieties derived from Narcissus poeticus laid out on a board 

 like carnations ; or the big bold Trumpet Daffodils 

 like " King Alfred," or the charming " Johnstonei 

 Queen of Spain," pulled stiffly into position in cup and 

 tube like a rose or a chrysanthemum ! These things are 

 too awful to contemplate. Daffodils are exhibited in 

 vases, and though in some few cases too many flowers 

 are required to meet the scheduled conditions, the Classes 

 are usually of a very reasonable character. Three or six 

 flowers of a variety are generally required. It is not an 

 easy matter to arrange more than six blooms artistically 

 in a vase, because a larger number, all faced one way, 

 present a dense and formal " face," or else several flowers 

 face the wrong way about, and so are useless in regard to 

 effect, while they detract from the grace of the exhibit. 



Daffodils are broadly grouped into three divisions. 

 The first of these is the one that includes all " AJAX," 

 or ''TRUMPET" Daffodils, and known as the Magni- 

 coronati group. Then comes the MEDIUM-CROWNED or 

 Medio-coronati group, and the bold " Sir Watkin " may be 

 taken as a good representative, just as "Emperor" serves 

 as a type of the Trumpet Daffodils. The third division 



