56 DAFFODILS — NARCISSUS 



varies from three to five weeks according to 

 the variety. Before taking in the first lot 

 of potted bulbs for forcing, make a careful 

 examination to see if the pots are filled with 

 roots, and do not take the pots indoors unless 

 they are. The only way to do this is to 

 "knock out" one potful of bulbs. Place the 

 palm of the hand over the top of the pot, in- 

 vert the pot and tap the edge lightly on a 

 box or board. The ball of earth will slip 

 out of the pot, intact, into your hand. If 

 the bulb is well rooted, the surface of the 

 earth ball will show a network of white roots. 

 If only two or three roots are visible and the 

 earth is inclined to fall apart, the bulb is not 

 well rooted and is not ready for forcing. The 

 examination completed, slip the pot back over 

 the ball of earth, turn the pot right side up, 

 press the top slightly to make aH,firm again, 

 and replace in the plunge. 



FLOWERING TIME, AND AFTER 



When the well-rooted potted daffodils are 

 taken from the "plunge" they must not at 

 once be placed in warmth, but brought up to 

 it progressively. Too much heat is apt to 



