Part II. NARCISSUS. 257 



NARCISSUS ■BVL.-BOCOTHUM..— Hoop-petticoat Daffodil. 



A DISTINCTLY beautiful kind, with its rich golden-yellow cup 

 usually erect, gradually and regularly widening from the base to 

 the margin and longer than the divisions, ascending, one on each 

 stem, to a height of four to ten inches, from tufts of half-rounded, 

 dark green, and somewhat rushy-looking, erect leaves. A native 

 of Southern France and Spain, requiring in our gardens a' little 

 more attention than is necessary with Daffodils generally, but so 

 handsome when well grown that it fully repays for it. It attains 

 the greatest perfection in very light and deep sandy loam, in 

 sunny sheltered positions, where its leaves may not suffer from 

 cutting winds. In many sheltered gardens it may thrive on level 

 ground in light earth, but in all it would be improved by being 

 placed on low warm sheltered banks in the rock-garden, where 

 few things are more attractive in early spring. 



NARCISSUS STJTifCrPOlATJS.— Rush-leaved Daffodil. 



A SVS^EET-SCENTED, very dwarf, and pretty species, from the Py- 

 renees ; bulbs about half an inch through ; leaves three or four 

 in a bundle, round and rush-like, four to six inches long, scarcely 

 so long as the flbwer-stems. Flowers solitary, or in gardens 

 occasionally two or three on a stem, both crown and cup of 

 golden yellow, which is a distinct feature in the plant ; appearing 

 in early spring with the Primulas and Gentians in our gardens, 

 in April and May in its native habitats. One of the smallest and 

 most beautiful Daffodils known, and one of the most valuable 

 for rockwork, thriving ■ freely in gritty or sandy earth, and per- 

 fectly hardy ; but as it flowers at a cold season, it is better 

 planted on warm and slightly sheltered slopes on banks. In- 

 creased by division. 



NARCISSUS MINO-R.— Least Daffodil. 



This is Parkinson's "least Spanish yellow bastard" Daffodil. 

 " The leaves seldom exceeding the length of three inches, and 

 very narrow withal, of a grayish green colour : every flower stand- 

 ing upon a small and short footstalk, scarce rising above the 

 ground ; so that his nose, for the most part, doth lie on or touch 

 the ground." The bulb is small, of a darkish brown, often flower- 

 ing at three inches high, and rarely attaining six inches under 



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