537 



The Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus, or Common Wild 

 Daffodil, as it occurs at Whitehall, in the parish of 

 Chimside, Berwickshire. By Charles Stuart, M.D., 

 Edinburgh. 



A few years ago, in writing a sketch, of the Botany of the 

 County of Berwick, for the Botanical Society, the occurrence, in 

 profusion, of the Common Daffodil at Whitehall, was mentioned 

 as happening- all through the woods. A hint was given that a 

 careful search might reveal some new forms or varieties among 

 such a mass of flowers. Following out this idea, after acci- 

 dentally seeing some blooms obtained from the quarter just 

 mentioned, I examined carefully the whole place. In one spot 

 of very limited extent I came upon a number of specimens of the 

 Ajax section of the Narcissus, of miniature size, graduated from 

 JV. nanus, N. minor, to a size resembling a miniature N. maximus. 

 These were growing in the turf in a deep hazel loam. I was at 

 the time so greatly struck with the beauty and elegance of the 

 flowers, so unlike auythiug in cultivation, that I brought them 

 home, and kept them in water for closer examination. There 

 were at least twelve distinct sorts, and the series constitute a 

 group leading up from N. mini mm, N. minor, to a size something 

 like N. maximus in miniature. They must have been growing 

 in the situation they were in for a hundred and fifty years. 

 After several years' trial they remain quite the same in size as 

 when I dug them up, so that they retain their miniature size 

 under cultivation. They are mostly single, with prominent 

 trumpets, which are in many instances everted, serrated, and 

 flanged. Their perianths vary in colour, from a deep golden to 

 a pale lemon colour. 



There are several double forms in the group, one of which 

 named "Golden Spiral" by me, has been submitted to the 

 critical "Narcissus Committee" of the Eoyal Horticultural 

 Society, London, who through Mr Scrase-Dickens, their Secretary, 

 informs me that this variety aroused great interest among the 

 members, as being a dwarf double form quite unknown. He also 

 states : " The range of form and colour among the Ajax section, 

 wild or naturalised in this country, is most remarkable, and would 

 not have been credited a few years ago." 



The question arises, How did these wild forms originate ? 

 Are they sports or seedlings ? In answer to the first of these 



