114 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



from 4in. to 6in. It is by some held to be merely a 

 variety of M. sylvatica. 



While upon the subject of the Myosotis, the New 

 Zealand Forget-me-not (Myosotidium nobile) may be 

 mentioned. This fine plant succeeds well in the South- 

 West of England, where, grown with the protection of a 

 wall, and with its root-stock covered with sea-sand during 

 the winter, it throws up great heads of bright blue white- 

 margined flowers in the late spring, some of the flower 

 stems being 2 ft. and more in height, while the glossy 

 cordate leaves often exceed I ft. in diameter. 

 Myrtle. The Myrtles will be described in the tree and 

 shrub chapter. 



Narcissus, The {Daffodils). — The Narcissus is essentially 

 the flower of the spring in our English gardens. Brilliant 

 as are the varied colours of the Tulips, and showy as aie 

 the massive spires of the Hyacinths, standing in serried 

 array, their blooms are suggestive of exotic extraction, 

 which, though rendering them worthy occupants of the 

 prepared bed, unfits them for the battle for existence 

 under natural surroundings, such as the wild Lent Lilies 

 successfully wage year by year, crowning the lush green of 

 English orchards with a coronal of pale gold. Varied 

 are the heights attained by the different members of the 

 Narcissus family, ranging from the 3m. of the diminutive 

 N. minimus to the tall, 2ft. flower scapes of Maximus 

 and Grand Monarque. The blooming period is a 

 lengthened one, commencing, in warm corners of the 

 South- West Coast, towards the end of Januarv, when 

 N. minimus unfolds its tiny golden trumpets, and extending 

 till late in May, when, in shady gardens, the double, white 

 Poets' Narcissus, with its Gardenia-like blossoms, is at its 

 best. Though Narcissi are well adapted for planting in 

 the border, many varieties are equally at home when 

 naturalised in the grass, under which conditions, with 

 their setting of green turf, they are seen to the best 

 advantage. When thus naturalised by the thousand they 

 present a charming picture, a grass)' glade filled with a 

 goodly company of white Star Daffodils (N. Leedsi) 

 being a sight to remember. As pot plants the Narcissi 



are as useful as the Hyacinths and Tulips, 8in. pots 

 planted with half-a-dozen bulbs of the stronger-growing 

 varieties making a fine show. In planting it should be 

 remembered that the earlier the bulbs can be procured and 

 put into the soil the better. August is none too soon. 

 Late-planted bulbs must necessarily lose much of their 

 vigour by being kept out of the ground so long, and 

 the longer the period of root growth, the stronger should 

 be the flower spikes. As regards soils, one that is fairly 

 retentive of moisture is more suited to the requirements 

 of the Narcissus than a light staple that soon dries up. 

 Bu bs succeed well in deep and fairly heavy loam, while 

 the friable peat and disintegrated granite of the Scilly 

 Isles prove eminently adapted to their culture. Manure 

 must be used with great care, and should on no account 

 come into contact with the bulbs. Fresh manure is fatal 

 if used at planting-time, the best time to use manure 

 being the spring. Old stable manure may be dug in and 

 the ground cropped with a summer crop of other flowers, 

 Geraniums and such-like. The soil will then be in 

 condition for the bulbs in autumn. On rich loamy, 

 rather moist soils stable manure should never be used for 

 Narcissi, only on light hot, rather dry and sandy ground. 

 It is then used not as a stimulant, but to act as a sponge 

 for the retention of moisture, and, in consequence, should 

 be put low down, say at a depth of from 6in. to 12m. 

 The best all-round manure is crushed bones put in with 

 the bulb at planting-time at the rate of 4cwt. to the acre, 

 lAoz. to the square yard, or basic slag applied at the rate 

 of 7^oz. to the square yard. In addition to this, use on hot, 

 dry soils in autumn after planting sulphate of potash as a 

 surface dressing at the rate of |oz. to the square yard ; this 

 holds moisture during the spring and early summer, and also 

 gives colour to the flower. It should lie applied annually 

 Forcing in the way of subjecting the bulbs to strong heat 

 should never be practised with the Narcissus, though 

 thv.- flowers may be obtained many weeks in advance of 

 their ordinary season by a judicious method of culture. 

 To attain this end, pot or plant the bulbs in boxes, as 

 early as they can be obtained, certainly not later than 



NARCISSI IN THE GRASS. 



