346 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



they were found again and placed in a pot, so that they had 

 had a sleep of one whole year without being in any way injured; 

 and this is extraordinary, for usually bulbs which remain on the 

 shelf longer than two or three months begin to push their shoots 

 of themselves. 



Before closing these remarks it will be well to say a few 

 words on that greatest enemy of Polyanthus Narcissus — the 

 Narcissus-fly (Merodon equestris). No Daffodil seems to be 

 more liked by the insect than the Tazctta. This pest has been 

 introduced to us in Holland from Italy and the south of France 

 with bulbs of the Double Roman Narcissus. The bulbs on which 

 Reaumur found the Merodon, and of which he published an 

 account in 1838, probably came from the south of France. 

 Bouche of Berlin, in 1845, mentions that he had seen the 

 Merodon on bulbs sent to him from Italy and France. In the 

 Netherlands for a very long time past every possible means has 

 been adopted to vanquish this enemy. The best results as yet 

 have been attained by the method proposed by Mr. A. C. 

 Groenewegen. It consists in searching for the chrysalides and 

 removing them from the soil just before the plants flower. At 

 that time the insects are found near the surface of the ground, 

 and where this method is adopted it is only in very rare cases 

 that the insect is found in the grounds of careful cultivators, so 

 that the bulbs sent out by respectable establishments may be 

 depended upon as being, except by the merest chance, quite free 

 from the Narcissus -fly. Newly imported bulbs should always be 

 carefully searched, as they sometimes contain this dangerous 

 pest. 



DAFFODILS FOR THE LONDON MARKET. 



By Mr. James Walker, F.R.H.S. 



The London Flower Market may be called the pulse of all the 

 other flower markets in the three kingdoms. What to grow in 

 this country to realise a profit is one of the great questions of 

 the day. If we compare the acreage of Daffodils with that of 

 fruit, it will be found very small ; but I question if the value of 

 an acre of our fine varieties could be exceeded by that of an acre 



