NARCISSI IN NEW ZEALAND. 
339 
though in this case, as in that of Maximus, there is a spurious variety, but 
where the true variety is found it is loudly praised. Two or three 
seasons ago I got one bulb at planting time ; that one bulb bore nine 
flowers, and my friends predicted it would die, but at planting time it 
had eight offsets, every one of which bore a flower, and the parent bulb 
bore five, and again had four offsets. 
Countess of Annesley is another that growls like a weed. 
Ard Eigh is inclined to rot away if the ground is too moist, and its 
increase under favourable conditions is only moderate. Pallidus precox 
and P. p. asturicus, whilst not showing very great increase, hold their 
ground and bloom very well. 
The newer ones, such as Madame de Graaff, Commander, Dr. Hogg, 
Glory of Leyden, Beauty of Haarlem, Gloria Mundi, Victoria, &c., require 
about a year and a half to become thoroughly acclimatised. One bulb of 
Mdme. de Graaff, imported by Mr. Hart, has in that time made five bulbs ; 
Glory of Leyden has only made three. Professor Thomas's experiments 
have taught him that some varieties which Barr says should be planted 
in grass or half-shade are very vigorous in the full blaze of the sun in 
lat. 37° S. 
With the bulk of growers who have tried them (not many have) 
N. cyclamineus, minimus, triandrus calathinus, t. albus, corbularia 
citrinus, c. albus are inclined to be failures, but they do remarkably well 
in the sandy soil on the banks of the Avon, near New Brighton (a watering 
place adjacent to Christchurch). 
The time of the flowering naturally varies considerably in various 
parts of the colony. In Auckland there are a few flowers at the end of 
June ; by the middle of July the majority of the earlier varieties are in 
full bloom. In the first week in September Emperor and Empress are 
abundant, M. J. Berkeley almost over. Glory of Leyden at its best, and a 
great proportion of the Incomparabilis, Leedsii, Barrii, and Burbidgeii 
varieties in bloom. This period represents the time when the greatest 
number of varieties is in bloom, and is about four weeks later in Dunedin, 
and still a week later in this locality. 
We have no one in New Zealand to rank with the Rev. Mr. 
Engleheart, V.M.H., as a hybridiser and raiser of new varieties, but there 
are several in the colony who are sufficiently interested to try to get 
something really first class. Last season one of the colonial growers 
visited Christchurch and saw several of Engleheart's new seedlings in 
the garden of Mr. Heaton Rhodes, M.H.R., and also some seedlings 
grown at Christchurch, and thinks that the New Zealand seedlings 
compare favourably with them. Mr. Mason has about 1,500 seedlings 
growing ; about 100 of them have flowered, and no two seem to be exactly 
alike. The seed was gathered just where a pod could be found, and with 
no attempt at classification of parentage. Professor Thomas's seedlings 
that have bloomed are in a similar condition ; but he has a great number 
of seedling bulbs, which have not yet flowered, which have been carefully- 
crossed with definite purpose. Mr. Wilson has quite a number of seed- 
lings carefully hybridised ; about forty of these bloomed last September 
— the sixth year from sowing the seed. They were exhibited at the 
Dunedin Show and were awarded a Certificate of Merit. About half a 
L 
