goS 



Narcissus Cultivation. 



[march, 



the cost will vary according to the rate of pay in the district, 

 condition of crop, &c. From is. to is. 3d. per gross bunches 

 will be an average price. The important points are to get 

 the stems as long as possible, to stand them in water before 

 packing, to bunch and pack them carefully, and not to over- 

 crowd the boxes. 



Value of the Crop. — Market prices vary considerably, and 

 it is impossible to estimate these accurately; gd. to is. per 

 dozen bunches may be taken as an average, although the 

 small cultivator will find that where special attention is paid 

 to careful picking, packing, and grading, rather higher prices 

 will be obtained. It is in these details that the small holder 

 scores an advantage over the large establishments, where the 

 flowers are apt to be handled with a certain amount of care- 

 lessness. 



Income. 



200,000 blooms per year for 

 three years at io^d. per 

 gross ... 



Value of bulbs at- end of 

 three years 



£ s. d. 



182 5 9 



^382 5 9 



Expenditure. 











£ 



s. 



d. 



Gathering, bunching; and 









packing bloom per year 









for three years at is. 6d. 









per gross bunches 



26 



0 



9 



Carriage and commission for 









three years at 40 per cent. 









on ^182 $s. gd. ... 



72 



18 



3 



Incidental expenses, clerical, 









&c. , 5 per cent, on £182 









$s.gd. ... 



9 



2 



3 



Rent, rates, and taxes fo ■ 









three years 



18 



0 



0 



Manure 



16 



5 



0 



Soot (second and third years) 



5 



0 



0 



Preparation of land 



4 



0 



0 



Bulbs for planting ... 



100 



0 



0 



Cost of planting 



6 



0 



0 



Cleaning land (three years). 



18 



0 



0 



Lifting bulbs 



9 



0 



0 



Profit on three years . 



97 



19 



6 





^382 



5 



9 



Or an annual profit per acre of £32 13s. 2d. 



In estimating the quantity of blooms obtainable from an 

 acre considerable latitude must again be given, as the crop will 

 vary according to varieties, good or indifferent culture, &c. ; 

 200,000 blooms may be taken as an average yield per acre for 

 the varieties specified, with the exception of Ornatus, which 

 may be trusted to give two or three times that quantity. 

 Assuming a crop of this size for a period of three years (the 

 length of time the crop is on the land), the above estimate 



