DAFFODIL, OR NARCISSUS. 
9 
DAFFODIL, OR NARCISSUS. 
The most beautiful of all Spring flowers is the Daffodil, and its hardiness is beyond all question. The 
older kinds have withstood uninjured our severest winters for centuries; and the new varieties have remained 
uninjured in the open ground during the most severe and protracted winters on record. There is no flower 
in spring that withstands the effects of frost, snow, rain, and wind, longer than the Daffodil, and this was 
observed by Shakspeare, when he wrote — ,, Daffodils 
That come before the swallow dares, and take 
The winds of March with beauty." 
The collection of Daffodils we cultivate embraces almost all the kinds known to amateur horticulturists of the 
sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, and to Salisbury, Sweet, Haworth, Herbert, and Baker of the 
present century, also all the new hybrids and varieties raised by the late Mr. William Backhouse, and 
Mr. Edward Leeds, including Mr. Max Leichtlin’s fine hybiids, and the collection of the late Rev. John Nelson. 
I hese new Daffodils rank in point of beauty with the magnificent orchids, which have been brought into cultiva- 
tion within the last few years, and are, as the late Mr. Leeds remarked, “ not ephemeral productions, but will 
last for centuries with very little care, as the common kinds have done in our gardens.” The new Daffodils 
are the result of crosses between the different varieties of the Trumpet Daffodil, also the varieties of Poeticus 
and the Trumpet Daffodil. We know for certain, on the authority of Dean Herbert and Mr. William Back- 
house, that a cross between the Trumpet and Poeticus Daffodils gives Incomparabilis, Parkinson’s Peerless 
Daffodil , and it is following up this intermediate result, crossing the hybrid with the parent, we get the orange 
cup, and the expanded cup, also the shortened trumpets, as in Nelsoni : let us therefore assume if we cross 
Incomparabilis and Poeticus, we get Barrii, and by crossing Barrii and Poeticus, we imagine the outcome would 
be Burbidgei, which is a Poeticus with the crown somewhat larger. The Eucharis-like Daffodil, Leedsii, we think 
most likely a cross between Trumpet Albicans and Poeticus or Montanus. Nelsoni, the most perfect of all hybrid 
Daffodils, would, we think, result from a cross between Trumpet Bicolor and Poeticus ; Tridymus, a cross 
between the Trumpet and the Bunch-flowered Daffodils ; besides the foregoing results in the production of hybrids 
there is amongst the new Daffodils of the Trumpet section great variety both in size and colour, which 
Mr. William Backhouse states to be the result of intercrossing the different kinds of this section, and it was by 
crosses between Bicolor and the other Trumpet Daffodils he produced his largest and finest forms which we now 
know as Emperor, Empress, and M. J. Berkeley. Doubtless Mr. Edward Leeds produced Bicolor Grandis and 
Major Superbus in the same way. 
A distinct feature in many of these hybrid Daffodils is the strongly marked orange-scarlet crown, for 
example, Incomparabilis Leedsi C. }. Backhouse, Barrii conspicuus, Incomparabilis albidus cynosure, etc., 
which we imagine would come from Poeticus poetarum ; others, again, have the crown dark yellow, light yellow, 
canary-yellow, primrose, silver-white, and some apricot-coloured. The late Mr. Nelson raised a few seedling 
Daffodils of considerable character, and had he lived a few more years, he doubtless would have made 
valuable additions to this family. 'I he Rev. Wolley Dod and Rev. G. H. Engelheart have for some years past 
been forming a collection of Daffodils ; we hope they will bring some of their energy to bear on the hybridiza- 
tion of this family, and from their personal experience tell us more precisely than we at present know', how' all 
these beautiful modern varieties were made. Several Coloured Plates of New Daffodils were issued with The 
Garden, and represent some of the hybrids we have alluded to. Those who are desirous of acquainting themselves 
with the interesting literature of the Daffodil, and the monographs which have been written of this family, 
should purchase Burbidge’s admirable wdrk, which is beautifully illustrated, and written in a most charming style. 
“ It has been observed," says Mr. Burbidge, “ that these beautiful Daffodils are never seen to better advan- 
tage than when planted on the moist margins of lakes and streams, or islands, where their golden nodding 
flowers contrast with the coerulean reflection in the limpid w'ater below." 
T his seems also to have occurred to Keates, who, in one of his beautiful poems, asks — 
” What first inspired a bard of old to sing 
Narcissus pining o’er the untainted spring?” 
Shelley speaks of the Daffodils thus — 
” And Narcissi, the fairest among them all, 
Who gaze on their eyes in the stream’s recess, 
Till they die of their own dear loveliness.” 
Wordsworth pays a graceful tribute to the Narcissus — 
“ When all at once I saw a crowd 
A host of golden Daffodils, 
Beside the lake, beneath the trees, 
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” 
Culture and Adaptation. — The Daffodil may be grown in any soil and situation, but it thrives best in 
a fertile loam. In planting, the top of the bulb should be three to four inches below the surface ; but when it is 
planted in permanent beds, &c., and summer flowers are cultivated over it, we have known the roots in such 
cases planted at a depth of 12 inches. In beds the larger flowering Daffodils are charming, and for edgings 
the dwarf growing kinds, such as Nanus, are most beautiful. In flower borders and shrubberies groups of 
Daffodils look splendid. For naturalization in woodland walks, semi-wild places, on the margins of lakes, 
streams, and plantations, and also amongst grass, few hardy flowers look so natural and pleasing as the Daffodil. 
A selection, consisting of varieties from the three groups, gives a succession of flowers from January till 
June. The Trumpet Section of Daffodils flower in succession, one variety following the other from January 
till the end of April. The Nonsuch or Incomparabilis Section of Daffodils begin flowering in March, and succeed 
each other till May. The third group of Daffodils, the Poet’s Narcissus, the Tazetta or Bunch-flowered 
Daffodils, &c., commence flowering early in April, and furnish a succession of flowers till June. 
Cut blooms of Daffodils are most elegant in vases, and are in abundance at a season when other flowers 
are scarce. They also supplement and mix admirably with hot-house flowers. For three months in Spring 
cut flowers from our collection of Daffodils were exhibited at the various Spring Shows and Fortnightly 
Meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society, also at the Spring Flower Shows held at the Royal Botanic Gardens 
and Crystal Palace. 
Awards, etc., from the Royal Horticultural Society at sundry times for our Exhibitions of DAFFODILS. 
Two Gold Banksian Medals, Five Silver Banksian Medals, One large Gold Gilt Silver Floral Medal, and 
several other Medals, with numerous Votes of Thanks and many Certificates for individual Daffodils. 
Also from Royal Botanic Society, Regent’s Park, many Awards and Certificates and Medals. 
Crystal Palace Flower Show, April 4 and 5, our Daffodils were the great feature of the Exhibition. 
King Street, Covent Garden, 1884. J 
B 
