22 DAFFODILS NARCISSUS 



If previous preparation is not practicable, 

 something may be done by starting two or 

 three weeks before planting time. Remove 

 the top soil to a spade's depth six to eight 

 inches and work into the underlying soil to 

 the depth of a spade, a two-inch layer of thor- 

 oughly rotted stable manure. Then replace 

 the top soil. The object of using the manure 

 is not so much to supply fertility as it is to 

 assist in holding moisture, preventing its too 

 rapid leaching. Under any other conditions, 

 the use of stable manure for narcissus and 

 daffodils the year of planting is not desirable 

 unless it be put a considerable depth below 

 the bottom of the bulbs. Under no condi- 

 tions must the manure be mixed with the 

 upper soil, or where it would be in contact 

 with the bulb. 



Year after year, until I learned to be more 

 strict, I used to see here and there a sickly, 

 yellowish-leaved, stunted daffodil plant. An 

 examination of the soil almost invariably dis- 

 closed a lump of manure either in contact with 

 the bulb or where its roots should have been, 

 probably had been, but were destroyed by 

 contact with raw manure. "No roots, no flow- 



