410 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Narcissus continued. 



PARVICORONATI. 

 Crown less than half as long as the divisions of the perianth. 



V. HERMIONE 



N. Jonquilla 

 N. Tazetta 

 aureus 

 canariensis 

 chrysanthus 



Bertolonii 

 dubius 

 intermedius 



bicrenatus 



bifrons 



primulinus 



radiatus 

 italicus 

 Luna 



Barlse 

 mediterraneus 



ganymedoides 

 ochroleucus 

 orientalis 

 pachybulbus 

 Panizzianus 



papyraceus (unicolor, niveus) 

 polyanthos 

 Jf. viridiflorus \ 



N. serotinus I au t uran flowerers 



obsoletus ) 



VI. EUNARCISSDS 

 N. poeticus 



majalis 



patellaris 



poetarum 



recurvus 



stellaris 



radiiflorus (angustifolius, Ait.) 

 verbanensis 



VII. AURELIA 



N. Broussonetii 



[Five of the preceding thirteen species are, practically speaking, 

 out of court as garden plants.] 



Series II. Hybrids, Known or Presumed. 



MEDIOCORONATI. 



1. Humei (Hume's hybrid) : incomparabilis x Pseudo-Narcissus 



albidus 

 concolor 



2. Backhousei (Backhouse's hybrid) 



3. llacleai (MacLeay's hybrid) : Pseudo-Narcissus x Tazetta 



Bernard! 

 Nelsoni 

 Sabini 

 tridymus 



4. Leedsii (Leeds' hybrid) : montanns x Pseudo-Narcissus 



5. Larrii (Barr's hybrid) : poeticus x Pseudo-Narcissus 



6. poculiformis=mont&nus (Salisbury's hybrid):? papyraceus x 



inoschatus 



Dr. Masters 

 galanthifolius 



PARVICORONATI. 



7. gracilis : juncifolius x Tazetta 



tenuior 



8. Burbidgei (Burbidge's hybrid): superpoeticus x Pseudo- 



Narcissus 



9. bijlorus : 1 poeticus x Tazetta 



albus 

 [Nos. 3, 6, 7, 9, are old, the others recent.] 



Culture. The numerous and very beautiful species and 

 varieties of Narcissus are amongst the most popular and 

 largely cultivated of spring-flowering bulbs. The majority 

 are extremely accommodating, as they thrive in almost 

 any soil and situation, and may be left alone for several 

 years after once being planted. A rather deep and some- 

 what stiff soil is, however, that in which the bulbs succeed 

 best ; and if the position is one partially shaded from hot 

 sunshine in spring, the flowers of some of the species 

 retain their beauty for a much longer period than they 

 would if exposed to all the light and sunshine possible. 

 Narcissi are well adapted for planting by the sides of 

 lakes or ponds and in mixed flower or shrubbery borders. 

 They are also suitable for naturalising in any quantity, 

 in the grass, by the sides of woodland walks, in open 

 spaces between trees or shrubs, and in any other posi- 



Narcissus continued. 



tion where the flowers may be readily seen on their ap- 

 pearance in spring. The foliage should not be cut off 

 when green, but allowed to die naturally each year, and 

 then be removed. Transplanting, or any division of the 

 bulbs, is best performed during the months of July and 

 August the season when, according to Mr. Burbidge, 

 they are usually dormant, and quite free from roots. Mr. 

 Barr's experience is that new roots are made simulta- 

 neously with the dying of the old ones, and this in July 

 or August. If this operation be deferred until later in 

 autumn, more or less injury or check to the new growth 

 must take place. The usual mode of propagation is by 

 offsets, which should be collected from the parent bulbs, 

 and planted out separately, for a year, in order that they 

 may grow sufficiently large for flowering. The majority 

 of the species increase somewhat freely by this method, 

 and permanent clumps or collections may be lifted at 

 the season above named, and their offsets removed, 

 should there be a danger of injury, caused by the flowering 

 bulbs being overcrowded, arising from their multiplying. 

 The process of raising plants from seed is a slow one, 

 but still it may be practised with a view to obtaining 

 new varieties. Seeds should be sown, soon after being 

 collected, in pans of sandy and rather loamy soil. Young 

 bulbs should be planted in a prepared border ; a two-year- 

 old bulb would not be much thicker than a corn straw, 

 and would not want more than in. or lin. space ; after- 

 wards, when it becomes necessary, more room should be 

 allowed. Seedling bulbs are not usually at their best the 

 first year of flowering; consequently, their merits should 

 not be too hastily judged. An annual top-dressing of 

 loam and decayed manure may be applied with material 

 advantage to all Narcissi when the dead foliage is re- 

 moved. 



Pot Culture, Forcing, fyc. Varieties of Polyanthus 

 Narcissi are very extensively cultivated in pots for 

 greenhouse decoration, and for the use of thair highly 

 fragrant flowers in a cut state. Every sort that can be 

 obtained, either with single or double flowers, is well 

 worth growing in pots, and all are suitable for planting 

 outside as weU. Early Paper White and Double 

 Roman are two excellent forcing varieties, which may be 

 had in flower from November onwards, till spring, by 

 potting successionally, and forcing very gradually. 



FIG. 630. NARCISSUS BIFLORUS, showing Habit and 

 detached Flowers. 



Double and single sweet-scented Jonquils (N. Jonquilla) 

 are very fragrant when in flower, and are well adapted 

 for pot culture, as are also N. poeticus, and its finely- 

 formed variety, ornatus. The Hoop Petticoat Narcissus 

 (N. Bulbocodium) thrives admirably in Sin. pots, with 

 three to six bulbs in each, or in small pans, if kept in 

 a cold frame, in winter, and allowed to grow and flower 

 without artificial heat. The varieties of the sections Ajax 

 and Queltia. and, indeed, all Narcissi, are now being largely 

 grown in pots. The Triandrus varieties, grown in pots, 



