22 BULLETIN 1270, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
weather. Full flowering, however, is seldom seen. Wherever ob- 
served the blasted flower spikes are numerous. The successful pro- 
duction of bulbs with normal flowers in them which can be blossomed 
in the proper environment is not difficult. First-class bulbs can 
be grown in regions where they seldom open a flower. 
The writer was very much impressed some time ago to find the 
variety growing vigorously in southern Indiana. Xo one had ever 
seen a' flower of it, but the characteristic blasted flower spikes were 
in evidence everywhere. The indications seem to be that that region 
produces normal bulbs, but that it is too hot and dry for the 
flower spike to open. In the region of Washington, D. C, it is 
seldom that a perfect flower is produced. 
GOLDEN SPUR 
The most used of any of the long-trumpet daffodils is Golden Spur. 
There may be as many bulbs of this used as of all other long trum- 
pets combined. In point of numbers compared with all the varieties 
of the genus Xarcissus its use is exceeded by Paperwhite Grandiflora 
only. On account of the very large numbers used for forcing and the 
habit, almost universal in America, of destroying the bulbs as soon as 
they have flowered in the greenhouse, the world has become short of 
stock of this variety. It has not seemed possible for the Dutch 
growers to produce it fast enough. 
Golden Spur is one of those varieties which does not reproduce 
rapidly, is not overstrong in constitution, and requires rather more 
special conditions for its best production than many others. The 
experience of the Department of Agriculture in the Pacific North- 
west shows conclusively that it can not be grown on the Whatcom 
silt loams of the region with any satisfaction. On the black sandy 
loam of the Fort Bellingham, Wash., location, however, it is con- 
sidered a success. 
During the past three years some good stocks have been produced 
in a small way by three growers, all located on moist, low, sandy, 
well-drained, fertile or well-fertilized areas. It is believed that this 
formula is the one necessary for the production of prime stocks of 
this variety. One of these growers, who produced the best Golden 
Spur bulbs the writer has ever seen, grew them on river-bottom 
sandy silt loam, not far from the river bank, where the coarsest ma- 
teria] is deposited by the flood waters and where the structure of 
the soil is practically the same for 6 feet or more. There may possi- 
bly be some substitutes which can be used for this variety should it 
me -i ill more scarce. 
Whether the variety is going to be as important in the immediate 
future as in the pasl no one can say. At present King Alfred is 
taking its place to some extent, but this, although a grand variety, 
is 1<> days latei- under forcing conditions, and stocks of it will 
probably also be scarce for 10 years to come. 
Ilcmy [rving does somewhat better under adverse conditions in 
I lie Pacific Northwest and blossoms a few days earlier. Its color, 
however. Is not so good a- that of Golden Spin". 
Tin' old Single Van Sion or Trumpet Major, of which there are 
large naturalized stocks in the country, is a good early forcer. It 
might also l»c used a- a substitute after about three years of culture 
