SEEDLING DAFFODILS. 



93 



SEEDLING DAFFODILS. 

 By the Rev. G. H. Engleheart, M.A., Appleshaw, Andover. 

 [Read April 9, 1889.] 



The Secretary having asked me rather recently to follow Mr. 

 Burbidge with a short paper of some kind on the Narcissus, it 

 occurred to me that I would put together a few notes on the 

 subject of seedlings and seedling raising. But after having done 

 a little towards this, I found among my accumulation of Daffodil 

 literature, two back numbers of the Gardener's Magazine, which, 

 as must sometimes happen to a busy man, had not been read by 

 me as they deserved, but which really almost exhaust the subject, 

 historically considered. 



To those, therefore, who are interested to know the history, so 

 far as it is ascertainable, of our hybrid and seedling Narcissi, let 

 me recommend the very excellent papers by Mr. Burbidge which 

 may be found in the Gardener's Magazine of December 12th 

 and 26th, 1885. 



There is, however, perhaps room for me to contribute a few 

 practical remarks about the present aspect of seedling raising in 

 the Narcissi, especially as it has been a great source of pleasure 

 to me to study this fascinating family in my leisure for some years. 

 And at the outset I would say that I am not of those who 

 regard the extreme interest taken in Daffodils, and the immense 

 demand for their flowers, as a fashion and a craze which will 

 suddenly ebb away. Covent Garden in April, and the fact that 

 shrewd men of business have sunk, and are still sinking, large 

 capital in these bulbs, are a guarantee that the Daffodil fashion 

 will remain an abiding habit of springtime, rather than a 

 passing fashion. The truth is that this early, hardy, and suffi- 

 ciently diversified flower has supplied an acknowledged want, 

 and that it is extremely difficult to imagine any other that can 

 fill our markets to the same extent at the same season. When 

 roses are not valued in June, July, and August, Daffodils will 

 not be valued in February, March, and April — but not until then. 



This is no digression from my subject of seedlings, for the 

 unshaken, and, I think, unshakable, popularity of the Daffodil 



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