POLYANTHUS NARCISSUS 



tion is obviously imperfect. Pheasant's Eye of course refers to the 

 yellow and red corona. 



The plant has long been a favorite. The blooming period is 

 normally the last . of May, though earlier varieties have been 

 developed. All the varieties are profuse bloomers, and most of 

 them are hardy. In the double form the corona disappears en- 

 tirely and the segments are greatly increased in number, thus 

 making the flower pure white. 



POLYANTHUS NARCISSUS. PAPER WHITE NARCISSUS 



Narcissus tazetta var. dlba. 



Sturdy free-bloomjng plant, largely used for winter forcing; tolerant 

 of the conditions of ordinary homes; asks only water and light to bloom 

 in mass. Belongs to the short-crowned group. 



Bulb. — Large, two inches in diameter. 

 Leaves. — One to two feet high. 



Flowers. — Four to twelve in a cluster at the summit of a scape; seg- 

 ments white; corona white with crisped and crinkled margin. 

 Stamens. — Six; three near the throat, three lower in the tube. 

 Style. — Thread-like; stigma slightly cleft. 



The Polyanthus Narcissi are best known to us in the varieties 

 of Narcissus tazetta alba, the Paper White Narcissus, and Nar- 

 cissus tazetta orientalis, the Chinese Sacred Lily. Both are ex- 

 tremely popular for winter bloom. 



The flowers of the Paper White come out in clusters of four to 

 thirteen. Each flower makes a broad angle with its stem. The 

 perianth tube is about an inch long, pure white, though a little 

 greenish where it joins the vividly green ovary. It broadens into 

 six pure-white segments, three exterior and three interior. The 

 flowers of well-grown and vigorous plants are from an inch to an 

 inch and a half across. A beautiful tiny corona, crinkled and 

 scalloped, sits upon the throat of the tube, and out of it look the 

 yellow anthers of three stamens; the other three stamens are in 

 seclusion lower down in the tube. 



The Paper White can be forced in any ordinary living room. 



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