1 909-] 



Narcissus Cultivation. 



905 



from 6 in. to 8 in. Wholesale price for first-size bulbs, 10s. 

 to 12s. 6d. per 1,000. All sizes as lifted, £12 10s. to £1$ 

 per ton. 



Cost of Cultivation. — As the annual rental and cost of 

 labour differs considerably in different localties, it is im- 

 possible to give an estimate suited to all conditions. The 

 following represents as nearly as possible Fenland 

 expenses per acre, which in some details are probably lower 

 than those incurred in other parts of the country : — 





£ 



s. 



d. 



Annual rent, rates, and taxes ... 



6 



0 



0 



Manure, 50 tons at 6s. 6d. 



16 



5 



0 



Bulbs for planting, 5 tons at £20 



100 



0 



0 



Preparation of land (digging 1^ spits) 



4 



0 



0 



Planting ... 



6 



0 



0 



Cleaning of ground (one year) .. 



6 



0 



0 



Lifting bulbs 



9 



0 



0 



Cleaning and sizing bulbs 



3 



0 



0 





^150 



5 



0 



If horse-labour is employed, the cost will be considerably 

 lessened. If ploughed with three horses, or a two-horse 

 plough and sub-soiler, the work would cost £i instead of 

 £4, whilst lifting is also considerably lessened, and can be 

 done at a cost of £6 instead of £g if women and boys are 

 available for picking. Again, the cost for seed-bulbs must 

 vary considerably, according to the varieties planted. The 

 cost of planting an acre with Pheasant Eye at £3 per ton 

 would differ considerably from planting the same area with 

 Emperor, Sir Watkin, or other more expensive varieties at 

 £20 per ton. 



The planter is strongly recommended when purchasing to 

 buy either "planting size" or bulbs as lifted at so much per 

 ton, instead of securing first-size bulbs. As previously stated, 

 the latter, when planted, will yield "stock," — that is, they 

 split up and increase in quantity, and this necessitates wait- 

 ing for three or even four years before a profitable crop of 

 first-size bulbs can again be secured. If bulbs are purchased 

 "as lifted," and divided into four sizes, as already described, 

 all of them can be planted. The second-size bulbs will pro- 

 duce "heads" the first year, the third-size and "chips" will 

 yield a large percentage of "heads " the following year, whilst 

 the third season, by lifting those planted as "heads" three 

 years previously, a large yield of planting stock will be 



