I lAK'DY VIA )WI-RS. 



'15 



remain until the flower 

 n into a cool house, u hence, 



September, and earlier if possible, fur the longer the 

 period ol their growth before they are introduced into 

 artificial heat the greater is the probability of early and 

 bountiful flower production. Alter being planted in 

 pots or boxes these should be stood out of doors on a 

 hard bottom, under a hedge or wall in preference, and 

 should be covered with cocoa-nut fibre refuse or cinder 

 ashes to a depth uf 6in., and there left for at 

 least three months or twelve weeks, when signs of top 

 growth will become apparent, when remove from the 

 covering. Then place tin- puts or boxes in a cold frame 

 near the glass, where they sli 

 buds appear. Remove the 

 after a week or ten days, 

 the)' may be taken to a 

 higher temperature, this, 

 however, never being 

 allowed to rise above 

 55deg. , or at the most 

 6odeg. Always keep the 

 plants as near to the glass 

 as possible. When I he 

 buds are well set, a little 

 artificial manure may be 

 given sparingly. With a 

 steady temperature ot 

 55deg. and a liberal— not 

 excessive supply of water, 

 Narcissi should flo>ver by 

 the middle of February or 

 earlier. This method is 

 followed with success in 

 flowering the double Daf- 

 fodil, a variety more prone 

 to produce blind buds than 

 any of the Narcissus family, 

 with the exception of the 

 double Poets' Daffodil. 

 This blindness is usually 

 caused by the plants being 

 introduced into heat at too 

 early a period of their 

 growth ; but by follow ing 

 the plan here recommended 

 the flower buds will have 

 emerged from the bulbs 

 before the latter are sub- 

 jected to an increase of temperature, and failure of the 

 flowers to expand satisfactorily will he unlikely to occur. 

 Treated in this way, the (lowers will be generally found 

 to open sooner than those of batches housed a month 

 earlier. 



Narcissi are divided into three groups, the Magni- 

 coronata, or those having trumpets the same length as 

 the perianth segments or petals, and commonly known as 

 DaBodils proper; the Medii-coronati, or those with cups 

 or trumpets only half the length of the perianth segments ; 

 and the Parvi-coronati, or short-cupped Narcissi, the 

 trumpet or cup being one quarter the length of the 

 perianth segments, or less. These groups are each divided 

 into many sections, most of which are numerously 

 represented, but in the following notes only a few 

 characteristic representatives of each section will be 

 alluded to. To see all the groups in flower one should 

 visit such a nursery as Messrs. Bans' in Daffodil time. 



In the Magni-coronata group are the following, which 

 are taken alphabetically : 



N. Corbularia or Bulbocodium {Basket Daffodils). — 



Of the Basket or 1 loop Petticoat Narcissi there 

 are three colours — bright golden, sulphur, and white. 

 The first ol these is most usually grown, but the 

 delicate little N. B. monophylla, with its fragib 

 while flowers, is perhaps the most charming. It is 

 a native of Algiers, and blooms very early. When grown 

 in pans or pots in the cool house' it is delightful. ll 

 should have a porous, sandy soil, and may easily be had 

 in bloom by Christmas. After potting the bulbs, place at 

 once in the cool greenhouse, and keep moist. The 



NARCISSUS MMF. DE GRAAF. 



Basket Daffodils are better lilted for pot culture than for 

 planting in the open, except in especially favoured 

 situations. N. Corbularia cifrinus, the sulphur-coloured 

 kind, is charming for the rock garden, and should be 

 planted in low-lying pockets. N. cyclamineus is a 

 small Narcissus, bright golden in colour, with a long 

 trumpet and segments reflcxed like the petals of a 

 Cyclamen. It is found in Spain and Portugal, growing in 

 marshy ground by the water-side, and wdieu grown in the 

 garden should he planted in moist porous soil, or in 

 grass, as it dislikes the cultivated border. 



White Trumpel Daffodils comprise many beautiful 

 varieties. They succeed best in a parlially shady 

 border, or may be natu- 

 ralised in grass, and also 

 prefer a cool, rather stiff 

 loamy soil, and are not 

 fond of hot dry ground. 

 N. albicans is one of the 

 strongest growers ol the 

 section, with an almost 

 white flower. N. cernuus, 

 with white drooping flowers 

 of silvery white, is very 

 graceful, and is more suit- 

 able for planting in grass 

 than the border. N. 

 moschatus, a rather dwarf 

 kind with pendant white 

 blooms, is delightful when 

 naturalised in grass, and 

 seeds very freely. W. P. 

 Milner is also dwarf, with 

 sulphur-coloured flowers ; 

 it is a strong grower. N. 

 pallidus prtecox, pale straw 

 colour, succeeds well in 

 grass, but is often unsatis- 

 lacti >rv in cultivated go mud. 

 William Goldring, often 

 called the Swan-necked 

 Daffodil, has drooping 

 white graceful flowers, and 

 is a strong bulb. N. tor- 

 tuosus is very pale sulphur 

 white, and has a twisted 

 perianth; it is best planted 

 in grass or in the shade. Mine, de Graaf is a large 

 handsome flow er of late introduction, its high price being 

 the only hindrance to its general culture. 



Bicolor, or two-coloured, Trumpet Daffodils, of which 

 the following mav be relied on as good representative 

 varieties, are very handsome : Dean Herbert, trumpet 

 rich yellow, perianth sulphur white. Empress, trumpet 

 golden yellow, perianth white ; of good substance, an 

 excellent variety, good for all purposes, and very vigorous. 

 Grandee, much after the style of Empress, but flowering 

 later. Horsfieldi, very similar to the two last named, 

 but the earliest flowering. These three varieties mav be 

 natu alised together, and a long period of bloom seemed 

 in this manner. Princess, yellow trumpet, perianth 

 sulphur white; good lor forcing or naturalising, 

 and very early. Two beautiful Narcissi in this section 

 are J. B. M. Camm, w ith pale chrome trumpet and white 

 perianth, and Weardale Perfection, an enormous flower, 

 with pale primrose trumpet, and wide-spreading white 

 perianth ; the last of these, how : ever, is too expensive for 

 general use, at present, indeed, being quoted at /,io 

 a bulb. 



Large Yellow Trumpet Daffodils comprise several 

 handsome named varieties, some of these being among 

 the most robust of the whole Narcissus race. The 

 following is a good selection : Emperor, very large flower, 

 trumpet rich yellow, perianth slightly paler : an 

 exceedingly vigorous variety, excellent lor naturalising or 

 the flower border, rather late in opening. Golden Spur, 

 handsome flower, not quite so massive as Emperor, deep 

 golden yellow ; excellent for growing in grass or shady 



