86 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Bulb Growth. 



The bulbs of both Daffodils and Narcissi are very variable in 

 size, those of N. minimus, N. juncifolius, N. cyclamineus, and 

 N. triandrus having strength enough to flower when the size of 

 marrowfat peas, and the three last-named kinds may possibly 

 flower the third year from seed. " Emperor," " Empress," " John 

 Horsfield," and " Sir Watkin," have enormous bulbs as grown on 

 suitable soils, varying from three to four and a half inches in dia- 

 meter." Sir Watkin " and "John Horsfield, "are two of the strongest 

 growing varieties I know, and succeed on nearly all soils. In 

 colour the outer coats of the bulb vary from silver grey, through 

 sandy-brown shades to a deep and glossy umber brown, and the 

 outer bulb coats of the N. Tazetta generally known as " Paper 

 White" are amber shaded with black — the darkest known bulb 

 thus producing the whitest flower. 



The foliage of the flat-leaved kinds of Narcissi are distichous 

 or two-ranked, a fact which influences the disposition of the 

 axillary buds from which the flowering centres, or the succeed- 

 ing offset bulbs, are formed. Thus, what is called a " breeder 

 bulb " as a rule presents a distichous appearance, and the 

 plan of bulb production is not haphazard, but proceeds in a 

 dichotomous sort of way. 



It is a fact worth noting, that the leaves of all the flat-leaved 

 Narcissi are twisted from left to right, while the perianth divi- 

 sions are as a rule twisted the reverse way. 



The life- cycle of a Narcissus is completed in from two to five 

 years. Thus flowers cross-fertilised during March or April, 

 perfect their seeds in June or July. They should be sown as 

 soon as they are ripe, in boxes or raised prepared beds of light 

 sandy earth, on a well-drained bottom. Germination takes place 

 the following November or December, and it is remarkable that 

 all the kinds commence life with narrow or rush-like, grass-green 

 leaves. About a year after sowing your seeds, the first leaves 

 die away, and you have bulbs about the size of wheat grains. 

 The second year they are about the size of marrow peas, and an 

 odd bulb of such sorts as N. triandrus or N. cyclamineus may 

 possibly flower. The third year the two last-named species and 

 N. juncifolius are the size of very small hazel nuts, and generally 

 bloom. The fourth year nearly all the kinds may flower, but, as 

 a rule, the large-growing Narcissi, such as N. poeticus, N. Tazetta, 



