52 MARKET NURSERY WORK 



In November the Paper White is the first to make its 

 appearance. The earliest bulbs of this variety are, like the 

 Roman Hyacinth, grown in the South of France, those imported 

 from Holland being generally later. In Cornwall and Devon we 

 have seen these flowering freely in the open during November, but 

 in most parts of England it is necessary to finish them under glass. 



The bulbs are amongst the largest of the family, and not more 

 than three can be crowded into a 6-inch pot. 



The next narcissi in point of earliness is Grand Primo, another 

 polyanthus-flowered variety, white and cream, and this is 

 followed closely by Soliel d'Or. Then the daffodils begin to 

 appear : Obvallaris, Princeps, H. Irving, Golden Spur, Hors- 

 f ieldi, Barri, Van Sion, Empress, Emperor, keep up the procession 

 for many weeks. Special mention must be made of N. Poeticus 

 Ornatus, the early-flowering pheasant's eye ; for this is the 

 prettiest, most useful, and most popular of all. We box 100,000 

 of these every year, and we are among its comparatively smaller 

 growers. If we had to advise an inexperienced grower we should 

 unhesitatingly urge him to grow as many Poeticus as of all the 

 other varieties put together, looking at it purely from a 

 commercial point of view. 



This particular variety needs careful growing. First-sized 

 bulbs only ought to be forced, for they alone produce the first- 

 quality blooms. And in this connection we again venture to 

 repeat ourselves : see that the roots are well developed and the 

 growth active before taking them into heat. We repeat it 

 because it applies with redoubled force to this valuable and most 

 popular of all forcing narcissi. 



Practically all the foregoing bulbs require similar treatment, 

 or nearly so. Immediately they are potted or boxed they should 

 be watered, stood on a level bed in the open, and be covered with 

 2 or 3 inches of ashes. To save this covering and to economise 

 space, some growers stand the boxes one over the other until 

 there is a huge pile, but we cannot recommend this practice, 

 it is fraught with too many dangers what they are is too 

 obvious to call for comment. 



If the months of September and October are hot, as they 

 sometimes are, then the hose should be requisitioned to keep 



