DAFFODIL CULTURE 



NO flower owes more of its perfection and development to Develop- 

 the research and experiment of the hybridiser than the merit of 

 Narcissus. This word Narcissus, botanically used, includes Narcissus 

 the varieties commonly distinguished as Daffodils, Narcissi, Poet's 

 Narcissi, Jonquils and Polyanthus Narcissi. Within the last thirty 

 years such a wealth of flowers of enhanced size, colour and beauty 

 have been added to the Narcissus family by skilful use of the 

 materials available for hybridisation, that it was found necessary 

 by the Narcissus Committee of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 to compile and issue a list of names, so rapidly were new names 

 being introduced that confusion arose from the frequent use of 

 the same names by different persons for different flowers. This 

 list, it was surprising to find, contained no less than between 

 1500 and 1600 names. Of course many of these were de- 

 scriptive of varieties which are now quite superseded, and of 

 many which have passed out of cultivation, but the fact remains 

 that the list contains, not counting the most expensive new 

 hybrids, over four hundred varieties grown by Daffodil 

 specialists to meet the requirements of trade. 



It is worth noting that the Narcissus has not lost but 

 rather gained in strength of constitution by the process of 

 development in size, colour and form through hybridisation. 

 Whereas many of the earlier natural hybrids throve best in 

 grass, and often dwindled or died out in the richer and more 

 artificial conditions of highly cultivated garden soil, it is rare to 

 find any of the new hybrids raised of late years showing 



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