BULBOUS FLOWERS 115 



longer the planting is delayed the less vigorous is the plant 

 the next spring. Plant both in the open and also in pots as 

 early in the season as possible, is another golden rule. Details 

 of management are out of place in a general treatise ; suffice 

 it to say now that ordinary kinds of Daffodils should be planted 

 with the top of the bulb about four inches below the level of 

 the soil, and that it is only the small varieties that should be 

 near the surface. The practice of growing bulbs in bowls, or 

 other receptacles which have no drainage, has grown of late 

 years, as it is a convenient method of having flowers when soil 

 is difficult to procure, as in large towns and many suburban 

 districts. Any medium which will give a foothold to the roots 

 and will retain moisture may be used. Most of the large 

 dealers in bulbs supply a suitable compost at a low figure. 



As in the case of bulbs in pots, the bowls should be placed 

 in some dark, airy place for the first six weeks after they have 

 been planted, to encourage root action after that the most 

 important point to see to is that the compost should be neither 

 too wet or too dry. If either of these extremes takes place 

 and is suffered to continue, the plants suffer, and in bad 

 cases bloom prematurely or perhaps not at all. 



Planting in grass is now largely practised. For this pur- 

 pose a Barr's Bulb-planter is a most useful tool, and enables 

 the work to be done neatly and quickly. It is always best to 

 wait until the autumn rains have softened the turf before 

 planting, otherwise the same operation takes much longer and 

 never seems quite so satisfactory. 



A list of a few of some the most suitable varieties for the 

 different purposes for which Daffodils and Narcissi may be 

 used will be useful. As the descriptions will be found in the 

 usual trade catalogues it is not necessary to give them here. 



For Pot Work in January. Henry Irving, Golden Spur, Princeps, 

 Paper White Polyanthus narcissus, Obvallaris (Tenby Daffodil), Cer- 

 vantes, Campernelle Jonquils, Poeticus ornatus, and the old double 

 yellow (Telemonius Plenus). 



For later Work in Pots. The new poetaz, such as Alsace, Aspasia, 

 Irene, Elvira, and Orient, which have now largely taken the place of 

 the Polyanthus narcissus ; Emperor, Victoria, Mrs. Langtry, Seagull, 

 King Alfred if not too expensive, W. P. Milner, Autocrat, Sir Watkin, 

 Lucifer, Blackwell, Stromboli, many of the new Giant Leedsii, Madame 

 de Graaff, Queen of Spain, Orphee, Weardale Perfection, and Firebrand. 



For Bowls without Drainage. Most of the above. 



For Rockeries. Such small growing varieties as Queen of Spain, 

 W. P. Milner, Minimus (the smallest Daffodil in the world), Nanus, 

 Lobularis, Juncifolius, Triandras albus, Bulbocodiam citrinus, Jonquilla 



