4 
BARR’S HARDY DAFFODILS AND THEIR STORY. 
raised by the late Messrs. William Backhouse and Edward Leeds. These older Daffodils at that time in 
cultivation, represented only a portion of the species described in Haworth's Monograph, and a desire has 
arisen to hunt up the other species, more especially those which he had recorded from descriptions or 
woodcuts of ancient authors. Our Mr. Barr, during the last two springs, has visited Northern Portugal and 
Northern Spain, in the latter country searching the provinces of Guipuzcoa, Biscay, Santander, Asturias, 
Galicia, and Old Castile, and has spent a considerable time in the French and Spanish Pyrenees, lie has 
found many species, but there is yet much to be done. .... 
In Ye Narcissus or Daffodyl , published 1884, there is a comprehensive list of the Daffodils in cultivation ; 
also a list of those described by Haworth, but not in cultivation. Since 1884 some of these missing Narcissi 
have been re-introduced, and some new species and hybrids discovered, and a much more general know- 
ledge of the habitats of Narcissi, is now possessed, than at any past period, so that if the researches continue 
for a few more years, we shall know as much, or perhaps more of the Wild species of Narcissi, than Parkin- 
son did, as his knowledge of the actual habitats of the Narcissi he describes, appears to have been limited. 
To George Maw, Esq., we are very greatly indebted for the work he has done, and we trust that 
at no distant date, his health will permit him to finish the Narcissus Monograph, which he had commenced 
as a companion to his splendid Crocus Monograph. To E. N. Buxton, Esq., we are indebted for the 
re-introduction of the white Narcissus Moschatus, and the discovery of a hybrid — Muticus x Juncifolius. 
To Rev. C. Wolly Dod, a most industrious and painstaking investigator, we cannot be too grateful for 
contributions to the literature of the Daffodil, and also for the results of his researches in the Pyrenees, etc. 
We might give the names of many other workers in England, but amongst these we shall simply mention 
our friend Mr. Burbidge, whose works will ever show his interest, inasmuch as he inscribed “ Daffodil 
on his banner when a very select few identified themselves with this flower. We expect Air. Burbidgc 
will shortly give to the public a substantial proof of his interest in Daffodils, by publishing the result of his 
last ten years* research in the great libraries of Europe, and his close study of the living plants, with sketches 
of the lives of men, who have been identified with the Narcissus, for the last three hundred years. 
To Alfred W. Tait, Esq., of Oporto, we are greatly indebted for the re-introduction of N. Cycla- 
mineus, a great rarity (which the late Dean Herbert designated an impossible plant) ; also for the 
discovery and introduction of N. Johnstoni, and other species of Narcissi, besides some rare hybiid 
Narcissi, the parentage of which Mr. Tait has decided to be Triandrus albus x Yellow Ajax, and Triand- 
rus albus x Yellow Corbularia. This spring, through a friend, Mr. lait has been enabled to introduce 
from a native habitat, in Portugal, N. Triandrus pulchellus and concolor. We have seen pressed flowers, 
and they are identical with those figured in Sweet’s “ British Flower Garden.” This discovery is of great 
importance, and we trust, that with improved health, he will follow up his successes, and each year keep 
adding to our knowledge of the wild daffodils of Portugal. 
In the spring of 1887, Mr. Barr, in company with Mr. Tait and his clever mountain boy, Jos Maria, 
made many excursions around Oporto, Braga, and on the Gerez Mountains, to study the Daffodil. Mr. 
Barr then continued his explorations through some of the northern provinces of Spain in company with 
Jos Maria, collecting much useful information, and discovering some new species of Trumpet Daffodils, 
three of which are offered in this issue of the Daffodil Catalogue, viz., Santa Maria, Calvas Yellow, 
and Asturicus, a form of N. Pallidus praecox, which flowered in our grounds a fortnight earlier than 
N. Pallidus prcccox ; also Tazetta Virginea, which w-e enumerate amongst the Polyanthus Narcissi ; 
besides these, N. Cyclamineus, N. Minimus, and several varieties of Corbularia, etc. 
After leaving Spain and Portugal, Mr. Barr spent some weeks exploring the French and Spanish 
Pyrenees, and visited the home of the pure white Daffodil, N. Moschatus, and collected many bulbs, and 
is sanguine that amongst these, will be found N. Cernuus, N. Tortuosus, and other snow-white varieties, all 
of considerable interest. ( This year we have N. Aloschaius from two new habitats , and are theiefoie 
hopeful of clearing up the origin of all the white daffodils which have been found in England and Ireland.) 
In other parts of the Pyrenees Mr. Barr found several species, such as N. Abscissus, N . Variiformis (Mr. 
Maw has distributed this species, we consider, erroneously under the name N. Nobilisof Ridoutd, a species not 
yet discovered), N. Juncifolius, the beautiful hybrid N. Bernardi, and an interesting species we cata- 
logue under the name Poujastou Blond dore, also others which have not yet flowered. 
In the spring of the present year, Mr. Barr spent three months in Northern Spain, studying the 
Daffodil, in the coast provinces bordering the Atlantic, commencing at the frontier French Basque town of 
Saint Jean de Luz, and continuing his journey more or less along the coast line, to the \ alley of the 
Minho, and from thence to Old Castile. In the mountains of Biscay he searched in vain for Corbularia 
Tenuifolia, and is of opinion Salisbury was mistaken in his habitat of this plant, as all the Corbularias in 
this province are sulphur-coloured. In the Asturias he found two hybrid Narcissi, one bulb of each. I he first, 
Corbularia citrina x Ajax asturicus (a pale coloured Narcissi resembling N. Pallidus praccox), one-flow- 
ered ; the second, Triandrus albus x Ajax asturicus, one-flowered, retaining colour and form of the mother, 
Triandrus albus, and taking size from the father. In Old Castile he also found two hybrid Narcissi. The 
first, Triandrus albus x Ajax in the way of Variiformis, one-flowered, retaining colour and form of the 
mother, Triandrus albus, and taking size from the father ; the second, 1 riandrus albus x Ajax, in the w'ay of 
Variiformis, two-flowered, retaining size and form of the mother /Triandrus albus, and colour of the father, 
viz., white perianth, and bright yellow' cup. These hybrids arc good distinct things, but Mr. Ban 
considers their value to rest on the fact, that their parentage w r as settled before lifting the bulbs, and if 
N. Montanus is a natural hybrid, as its name would imply, might it not have had its origin from such a 
cross as above-named, rather than from the hypothetical cross of Papyraccus x Moschatus, there 
being no evidence that these two species grow within a reasonable distance of each other. The 
main object in the foregoing information is to lead those who are hybridizing Narcissi, to leave the 
path trodden by Messrs. Herbert, Backhouse, and Leeds, who used Poeticus and Ajax, and work with 
N. Triandrus in its different varieties, and Ajax, also Corbularia (the Hoop Petticoat Narcissus) in its 
various sizes and colours, and Ajax. From these crosses, a new race of elegant Daffodils will be produced. 
This subject may be more fully elaborated during the autumn in the gardening papers. N.B.-— Salisbury 
gives Tarbes in France as the home of Corbularia serotina (Turgida) ; but this we think is an error, 
as the Corbularia w'hich grows there, is sulphur-coloured. 
