90 FAMILIAR GARDEN FLOWERS. 



find them entered in the old books, the designation 

 serving to remind us that we must nut look for the 

 likeness of the youth in any Hower but this lovely Kar- 

 cissus jioeticiis. 



It is the last to flower of all the charming family to 

 which it belongs, and when its snowy blooms are seen nod- 

 ding to the wind and the sunshine we know that summer 

 is near at hand, for this is not one of the "daffodils that 

 take the w^iuds of jNIareh with beauty,"' for it rarely flowers 

 until the mouth of April, and in late seasons is not seen 

 until towards the middle of May. 



The poet's narciss is a plant of Southern Europe, very 

 freely scattered on the coast-lines of the j\Iediterranean and 

 Adriatic. It is nevertheless quite hurdy in the English 

 garden, and a thriving plant, bearing patiently a certain 

 amount of shade, yet flowering but poorly if much over- 

 shaded. It agrees with other daffodils in requiring a 

 deep, rich, moist soil; and therefore, when planted in 

 a garden where the soil is thin and poor, stations must 

 be jirepared for it with some good loam and well-rotted 

 manure. 



Since the narcissi have obtained scientific attention 

 many fine varieties have been introduced or recovered 

 from oblivion, to the great advantage of our gardens. 

 Amongst the varieties of Narciit!iiix j)oe/icus will be 

 found considerable diversity of character, both in the 

 size and disposition of the white perianth segments, 

 and in the colours of the corona or annulus which 

 lights up the centre of the flower. The largest and 

 noblest is called Grai/d/jlor/ix. This is pure white with 

 crimson annulus. Oritaftts has large flovvers with rosy 

 annulus. In TrijjodaUs we have a suggestion of the tripod^ 



