BARR & SONS, 12 & 13, King Street, Covent Garden, London. 
garden and In this way they (institute a good object lesson, which cannot fail to be of worth even to those who havo 
given them some attention in cultural details. Side by side do we see the weak and the strong, and while the earliest 
are passing away and the mid-season kinds in full bloom, the late varieties are as yet only half grown So that here 
again comes a welcome and valuable hint to those making selections and requiring a long uninterrupted succession, of 
owers. The collection at Long Ditton is a marvellous one, so much so, that I endeavoured during a recent visit 
„o notify the more modern kinds such as are not yet generally known. But I cannot refrain making mention <jf some 
sixty or seventy beds of Burrli consplcuus, a variety of which there must have been many thousands of bulbs in 
the finest possible condition. This is a grand doer and a free bloomer, and as an excellent kind either for decoration 
or market work will not easily he surpassed. Had all these beds been put together there must havo been 
considerably more than an acre of this one kind, and when I add that the majority of the bulbs were 
produemg two flowers each, some idea may be gathered of the vastuess and beauty of the scene. The variety was in 
full bloom, and the waving masses of yellow orange-centred blooms grand in the extreme. Very charming too was 
the Spanish kind known as Queen of Spain, some three beds of which were a sheet of bloom near one of the 
entrances. Tins is an excellent kind for planting in the grass, mid one that gives little trouble. 
“ Prominent among the newest kinds Weardale Perfection is perhaps unique at the present time. It is at once 
the largest and grandest of all the Daffodils. . . The flower is of grand size and of splendid form, and has received 
the highest honours that can be secured. Monarch is another novelty, and it is certainly well named, it comes in the 
way of Emperor, though much larger and infinitely superior in form. Close by was the Glory of Leiden, a very large 
flower possessed of a wonderfully bold giant trumpet and somewhat earlier to bloom. Neisoni aurantius, while not 
of the giant race, is one of these exquisite flowers that everywhere makes its presence felt, the perianth white and th- 
cup suffused with orange-scarlet. Then came Gloria Mundl, a fine and distinct Incomparabilis with yellow segments 
and broad expanding cup of orange-scarlet; this is a fine form indeed and has a capital constitution. Snowflake is 
on? of the trumpet kinds, very beautiful and chaste, and will find many admirers. Sir W. Harcourt is a fine yellow 
Ajax, splendid iu form, with the rich golden shade of Santa Maria. In Golden Prince we have a grand flower that is 
virtually a glorified maximus, the colour surpassingly rich and effective. It is iu such cases scarcely possible to 
convey an adequate idea of the full rich tone that many kinds possess, for a similar tone again prevails in M. J. 
Berkeley, which, while possessing the colour of maximus is much increased in size, its great trumpet broadly 
expanding and reflexod at the brim. These are among the finest of the large trumpet kinds. P. R. Barr, Mrs. H. J. 
Elwes, J. B. M. Camm, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. J. B. M. Camm, oue of the most exquisite white Daffodils extant, 
very chaste, and beautifully refined, must be noticed in passing. Then among the 
PEERLESS DAFFODILS 
Maurice Vilmorin and Flora Wilson are very flue. The latter with singularly pure white perianth and 
scarlet edged cup is lovely in the extreme ; and for purity on the one hand, and the decided rim of scarlet on 
the other, is sure to command attention at a glance. In Leedsii Marla M. de Graaff, a somewhat new shade of 
salmon-orange is imparted to the widely expanded cup, making it a very distinct variety. Katherine .Spurrell 
is a very pleasing member in this group, being almost uniformly cream in segments and crown, though most 
charming in its large flowers and exceptional tone. Gem is another of the newer race well worth its distinctive 
title. Duchess of Westminster is very chaste and handsome, the large white perianth and long canary cup make up 
a most delightjulfiowcrfor decoration; indeed, these light elegant forms are indescribably beautiful for vase decoration, 
and being all produced on very long stems seem specially fitted for ornamentation of this kind. Beatrice, a better 
known variety , is another in this set that is very beautiful. Princess of Wales (another of this Leedsii group) cannot 
be passed by, for it is certainly one of the gems and a most exquisite fiower , the large, spreading cup elegautly frilled. 
Other varieties of Leedsii are Hon. Mrs. Barton, Grand Duchess and Elegans, very charming and distinct. 
Another section as yet not noticed is Burbidgei, which also contains some very beautiful forms. Foremost perhaps 
among them is Falstaff, with the purest snow-white periauth and dainty frilled cup beautifully margined with light 
orange. Messrs. Barr think very highly of this as a market flower by reason of its exceeding purity ... it bids 
fair to rival the now popular Poeticus ornatus. Falstaff has certainly some fine points of merit and apparently 
possesses considerable vigour, while its pose displays its fine qualities to advantage. Beatrice Heseltine has a 
creamy perianth, the cup edged orange-scarlet. Crown Princess has pure white segments, cup canary and bordered 
rich orange. St. John’s Beauty is a remarkable flower with large channelled sulphur perianth, and a cup beautifully 
frilled and edged with bright orange-scarlet. This exquisite kind is as yet scarce. 
“There are also many charming kiuds among the Incomparabilis Daffodils, especially those with highly-stained 
cups, as in C. J. Backhouse, Gwyther, Titan, Gloria Mundi and the like. In the last-named we have a very fine bold 
flower, almost as large as Sir Watkin in point of size, and a cup heavily and deeply stained with orange-scarlet ; a bed of 
this is very striking and effective. Happily, too, it is a strong grower, so that more than likely it will prove itself 
worthy of the first-class certificate which has been awarded it. This fine yellow Incomparabilis is on a par with Sir 
Watkin almost for its great vigour, and the fiue bold stems carry the conspicuous heads of bloom fully 18 
inches high iu the first year of planting. Queen Sophia is also very fine and distinct, and has received a first- 
class certificate, while Beauty is another flower of large size, and handsome withal. N. odorus hemlnalis, a Daffodil 
rarely seen true, was represented by several masses — a sheet of rich gold, and beautifully fragrant. It is a dwarf 
compact grower, of a richer gold than N . odoi l us rugulosus, and as freely flowered and profuse as any of its tribe. Then, 
among the small-growing daiuty species the Corbularias were in plenty, and the pretty little rusli-leaved Daffodil, 
N. juncifolius, while the supposed semi-aquatic N. cyclamlneus seemed at home and flowering beautifully every- 
where. Triandrus albus was exceedingly jiretty and very charming iu a group, the pure white perianth and cup 
being very chaste, these becoming even more beautiful when cut and jjlaced in water in a cool room. 
I he above are some of the most beautiful and distinct in this collection, but they are as but a unit in the great 
waving sea of Daffodils that meet one’s gaze in these nurseries. Oue very l’emarknble feature, and one indicating 
exceeding g reat ca re th at mu st prevail in such an establishment, was the fact that all the varieties wore true to 
name, and not a * rogue * could be seen in the vast army of bulbs.” 
For hints on Culture and adaptation of the Daffodil, see page 4. 
