CHAPTER VI. 



SOIL AND SITUATION. 



The cultivation of tlie Narcissus or Daffodil is not 

 difficult, but in this, as in most things, there are differ- 

 ences of opinion ; so, for the assistance of those who at 

 present know little or nothing about the matter, I shall 

 lay down a few easy rules which, in my own experience, 

 I have found sufficient to secure a very satisfactory 

 measure of success. 



But before coming to these special rules, let me insist 

 very strongly upon some general principles of good 

 gardening, which are of marked importance in Narcissus 

 cultivation. 



(l) Everything should be done thoroughly; let there 

 be no shirking of labour, let there be no hurried and 

 superficial work. (2) Everything should be done at the 

 right time. With our English climate we can hardly 

 ever make quite sure of being able to do to-morrow 

 any item of garden work which ought to have been 

 done to-day. (3) Every plant grown should be put as 

 far as is possible into suitable surroundings. You cannot 

 expect good results if you try to grow things under 

 conditions which are not congenial to their nature. (4) 

 Garden work should be in the future as well as in the 

 present, i.e. there should be definite and well thought 

 out plans of work to be done later on, such as planting, 

 lifting, rearranging beds, exhibiting, etc., and careful 

 preparation should be made beforehand, so as to be 

 ready to do each kind of work promptly, when the 



