76 LENT. 



MARCH 16. St. Julian of Cilicia, martyr. 

 St. Finian. 



Obs. St. Julian of Cilicia was of a Senatorian family iii 

 Anazarbus. After protracted sufferings, he at length suffered 

 martyrdom by being thrown in a sack full of venomous animals into 

 the sea, in the time of Dioclesian. 



Nodding Daffodil Narcisstis nutans flowers. 

 Starch Hyacinth Hyacinthus racemosus flowers. 



The above plants flower now out of doors in mild springs. In the 

 shelter of the house or greenhouse numerous species of Narcissus 

 and Hyacinth now blow. Of the Narcissi the first to flower is 

 usually the Yellow Narcissus Tazetta, whose petals are yellow and 

 cups deep orange ; then comes a small rooted early sort, with white 

 petals and orange cups ; then the Oriental Narcissus, with straw 

 colored petals and yellow cups ; and another variety more yellow ; 

 then the Soleil d'Or ; the Grand Primo Citronier, with white petals 

 and sulphur colored cups ; the Roman, and also the Italian sorts. 

 These and many more are cultivated in our conservatories and 

 houses. The varieties of Hyacinth are too numerous in color and 

 form to be described. The Haerlem florists are continually adding 

 new sorts. Innumerable varieties of single and double, wliite, red, 

 pink, yellow, and striped, are already produced from seed : the 

 roots when they propagate reproduce the same sorts, and new varie- 

 ties are only to be obtained from semination. Both Narcissuses and 

 Hyacinths will blow in water alone, but they do best in pots filled 

 with light mould and sand mixed. They flower in our gardens in 

 April. 



In early years the peerless Daffodil Narcissus incomiparabilis now 

 begins to blow, and is a beautiful ornament to the spring garden : it has 

 a double and two single varieties. The Narcissus laetus and N. odorus 

 also flower at this time, together with the early Jonquil, and many 

 other kinds of this pleasing genus, of whose numerous species the 

 first is the early Daffodil. The nodding and pendent flowers of 

 this plant, wet with a morning shower, remind us of Milton's line - 

 Bid Dafibdillies fill their cups with tears. 



