THE DAY BEFORE SPRING 55 



The classification of the Narcissus family is rather 

 confusing to me, there are so many divisions and sub- 

 divisions, but it is not necessary to be very well grounded 

 in these distinctions to know and grow these flowers. 

 There are long trumpets and short trumpets, large 

 cups, smaU cups, and flat cups, double-flowered, single- 

 flowered, and cluster-flowered, and each of these blossoms 

 forth into such an astonishing company, all lovely, that 

 one is bewitched as well as bewildered. My experience 

 of growing Daffodils is as yet confined to the garden I 

 have not tasted the joy of planting them by the thou- 

 sand in orchards and meadows. Most of those we have 

 tried have flourished and increased, a few have lan- 

 guished; and in the case of those wee things, Angles 

 Tears, Queen of Spain, Hoop-petticoat, minimus and 

 nanus fit only for the sequestered safety of rockwork, 

 but which, for the We of me, I cannot help trying to 

 cajole into border life I meet heart-sickening failure. 

 These small things are quite hardy, but the great world 

 of the open garden literally frightens them out of their 

 lives. 



The soil for Daffodils should not be heavy and stiff, 

 but light, rich, and porous. Sand and wood ashes will 

 do much toward putting a heavy soil into the proper 

 condition, and the Rev. Joseph Jacob in his helpful book 

 "Daffodils" suggests a little bone meal in the soil be- 

 low the bulbs. As in the case of all bulbs, no manure 

 should come into contact with them, though a top dress- 



