September, 1914 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



45 



The following notes should be prefaced 

 by a statement of soil conditions. The 

 soil in which I grow my daffodils is light, 

 a mixture of black earth and silver sand. 

 The bed has been well worked for several 

 years, manure being trenched in on several 

 occasions. The bed is given a dressing of 

 fertilizer in midsummer after the bulbs have 

 died down. The fertilizer is composed 

 of bone meal and sulphate of potash 

 mixed ioo pounds of bone meal to 25 

 pounds of sulphate. This is spread 

 thinly and hoed in. Another and 

 heavier dressing is given early in October 

 and hoed in. The bulbs are grown be- 

 tween rows of peonies, the red stems 

 of the peonies forming a pleasing con- 

 trast to the blossoms. Later the foliage 

 shades the ripening bulbs. 



Here follow some notes on my exper- 

 ience with these gems for spring bloom, 

 and which should be planted as soon as 

 possible now, that is to say plant daf- 

 fodils just as quickly as you can get them 

 from the dealer. Every day's growth 

 before winter means increased vigor in 

 flowering time. 



YELLOW TRUMPETS 



King Alfred. The finest pure yellow 

 trumpet daffodil and costing a dollar a 

 bulb ! A huge flower of bright, golden 

 yellow. Grows nearly two feet tall. 

 Early- Broad petalled with a diameter 

 of 4f to 5 inches. Trumpet very wide 

 at the brim with reflex of about a half 

 inch, gracefully rolled back. Edge of 

 trumpet beautifully fringed or crimped. 

 Not reliable in all situations. Prefers 

 rather heaw moist soil. In lighter 



soils it must be watered liberally and can- 

 not be expected to attain its finest pro- 

 portions and is not a certain bloomer. 

 A magnificent pot plant. A hybrid 

 inheriting its weakness for moist, heavy 

 soil. 



Maxunus, the darkest, deepest yellow 

 of the trumpets but is a shy bloomer 



Conspicuus, the most popular of the Barri group, 

 is shorter than in Incomparabilis 



King Edward VII, a good representative oi the newer poeticus 

 varieties: large, massive with showy shallow cup 



except in heavy wet soil. Will 

 not flourish in an ordinary 

 garden. 



Van Waveren's Giant. Mid- 

 season. The "prize beef" of 

 daffodils and suggesting the fat 

 cattle and fat chrysanthemums 

 of fall shows. The giant of the 

 trumpet section. A strong, 

 sturdy grower, with blooms like 

 an Emperor magnified. Five 

 inches across. Perianth light 

 yellow, trumpet bright yellow. 

 Leaves very wide and heavy. 

 Attains a height of two and a 

 half feet when at its best, some- 

 times close to three feet. Towers 

 above other daffodils. Lacks 

 the refinement and graceful 

 beauty of the smaller trumpets. 



Cornelia, a very handsome, 

 vigorous growing all yellow 

 trumpet with big flowers and a 

 fine flanged trumpet. Some 

 catalogues call it an improved 

 Emperor, but it is quite differ- 

 ent. The yellow is of a pleasing 

 light tone. It grows about 

 eighteen inches tall. A very 

 fine trumpet. Increases ra- 

 pidly. 



Beethoven, a cheap daffodil 



with a rather thin perianth but a fine 

 trumpet. The petals are narrow and lack 

 substance. The trumpet is long and nar- 

 row but beautifully slashed and crimped at 

 the brim. It is a vigorous grower and 

 makes a fine display. Early. 



Henry Irving, a cheap early deep yellow 

 daffodil but a doubtful grower. Does not 

 flourish for me. Good for only one sea- 

 son, then dwindles. 



Shakespeare, advertised in some Amer- 

 ican bulb catalogues as a new seedling 

 which it is not. It is more than ten 

 years old. A yellow trumpet about a 

 week later than Golden Spur, remark- 

 able for the length of the trumpet. 

 Perianth weak in texture and the bulb 

 has not proved of strong constitution 

 with me. Did not increase and 

 dwindled away in three seasons. 



Golden Spur, the earliest to bloom, 

 golden ' yellow with a finely slashed 

 trumpet brim. Absolutely reliable, and 

 a quick increaser. A garden standby. 

 Emperor, the oldest yellow trumpet 

 in general cultivation and still hold- 

 ing its own as one of the very best 

 garden daffodils. Pale yellow perianth, 

 bright yellow trumpet. Very suscep- 

 tible to cultivation and the excellence 

 of the bloom is in direct ratio. Varies 

 from an inch and a half to three. Fails 

 only when allowed to become too 

 crowded. 



Golden Bell, another handsome and 

 vigorous very early bright yellow trum- 

 pet. Flowers have a graceful drooping 

 habit. 



Glory of Leiden, a most independent, 

 stocky looking daffodil that always 



The cup 



Sir Watkin, the sturdy representative of the rncomparabilis 

 type with medium sized cup 



