THE NARCISSUS. 25 



to bloom at will at any time during the summer or fall 

 months. This same system might be used with many 

 other bulbs, such as the Tuberose or Hyacinth, but it is 

 only in very valuable flowers, such as the Lily of the 

 Valley, that the expense would be justified. The plant 

 does well in the garden, and may be put under the shade 

 of trees ; but wherever placed, the roots should not be 

 disturbed for several years, if at all, as many clumps will 

 not otherwise bloom. It is useless to save the Lily 

 of the Valley roots after having been forced. It is better 

 to throw them away, as it takes years for them to recu- 

 perate. 



THE NARCISSUS, (Narcissus). 



IN this genus we have a long list of established favor- 

 ites, remarkable alike for the elegance, fragrance, and 

 earliness of their flowers. In one respect the species are 

 all alike : they delight in rich soil made porous with 

 plenty of sand and well-rotted manure. All of them are 

 also quite hardy, and from the early period at which 

 their flowers are produced, they are of the utmost con- 

 sequence to the flower gardener. 



FORCING. 



Several of the species are found to bear forcing well, 

 and for this purpose have become a staple article in the 

 Dutch florists' trade, and several varieties have been 

 originated by them, suited, by the selection of their 

 parentage, to bear this trying course of treatment. The 

 following are commonly grown for forcing : JBazelman 

 Major, Soleil cTOr, Grande Primo, and Grande Mon- 

 arque. These, with the double Roman and others, should 

 be potted in September in a mixture of equal parts of 



