2 
BARR’S GOLD MEDAL DAFFODILS, 1913. 
Culture and Adaptation of the Daffodil Outdoors. 
Soil and its Treatment The DalTodil will thrive in any ordinary garden soil, but prefers 
a deep, rather moist loam. When the soil is of a dry and sandy nature, it should be deeply dug, if 
possibi; at least a season before planting the bulbs, well-decayed f f ^ 
or other vegetable or annual crop grown on the ground. Before the bulbs aie planted a sprmldmg^^^^^ 
quick-lime sdiouhl be spread on the surface and then dug m. If it is not convenient o ^ 
of Vegetables or Annuals, then, in digging, mix with the soil crushed 
the square yard. The ammoniacal properties of stable manure are injurious to the Daffodil , considerable 
risk h therefore incurred by using it! On good retentive loamy soils stable manure is not reipiired and 
should not be used, but a dressing of lime once in every three years, with an annual dressing of Basic 
Slae at the rate of yi oz. to the square yard, may prove beneficial. , , , , , ,, 
^Freshly dug Soil should he allowed to stand vacant two to three weeks before planting, to allow 
the ground to settle down, otherwise the freshly planted bulbs are sometimes drawn undei considerab y 
below their proper depth, and the bloom in conse<iuence is apt to be weakened and letardcd the liist seaso i. 
The Best AND Sakest Manures to use are Crushed Bones, Dissolved Bones, Btisic 
Phytobroma { for price see pare 38). This should be applied at planting time, and may be mixed with he 
soil; the CruLd or Dissolved Bones may be applied at the rate of 6 cwt. to the acre or ^ o- ^ 
square yard and Basic Slag may be applied in same manner at the rate of I ton to the acre, or 7..^ oz. to 
the square yard. We recommend for light soils Crushed Bones (provided they 
to Basic Shag. On very poor and DRY sandy soils we recommend m addition bui.l HAIL 01. loiAsll 
{/or price seepa^'C 38), to be sprinkled annually in the autumn over the surface of the ground, after planting, 
at the rate of 2 cwt. to the acre, or about 2 oz. to the square yard. The potash not “"'y 
of colour in the dowers, but also helps to hold moisture in the sod, an essential condition to the perfect 
development of the DalTodil. In the case of bulbs which have not been ifted we i-ccommend .a top 
dressing (well hoed in) of Phytobroma or Dissolved Bones m November and again in Match, at the rate 
In EAR^-'srR!NG,*ts soon as the Daffodils begin to show above ground, the surface soil should be 
well broken with a hoe, to sweeten it after the heavy winter rams ; a handy tool for this pin pose will be 
found offered on page 37. Where practicable it is advisable to cover the ground in November with some 
light covering ma^enal (the idea is to prevent the autumn rains from beating down the crust of the giound, 
an^ to break the severity of a sudden frost). We use for this purpose pu led heather ; cn <rr go s 
however, answers the same purpose ; cut fern or bracken is bad, as it lies too wet ; old pea sticks laid 
across the ground are good, or on dower beds sprays or small branches of cut ", °uu, 
ground answer the purpose and look decorative ; these of course need renewing when they get shabby. 
Do not mulch the beds with manure. , 
Planting and Lifting.— The best time to plant, to obtain the finest dowers, is early 
Autumn (as ear^ as (mssiblel, alihono-h bulbs may be put in as late as Christmas with fairly satisfactory 
results ■ we have planted some Daffodils as late as the second week in I-ebruary, and had some vciy good 
blooms the third vveek in May. We recommend, however, zar// planting for best 'exults Ihe ‘"‘VT 
be left undisturbed for years in ordinary good loamy sods, but on poor and light sods they are better 
lifted every two years, as soon as the foliage has died down, replanting the best bulbs either immedu tc- y 
0"“ early as is Lnvenient. Never plant when the ground is wet and sticky. Do not put silver sand 
around the bulbs of Narcissi except in the case of N. corbulana. ,-r.vprin<. 
Depth to Plant.— The average depth to plant is from 2 to 3 inches, that is to say, a cover mg 
of 2 to 3 inches of soil, but not more. As the bulbs vary considerably m size, according to the 
relative varieties, the best rule to go by is the bulb itself, which should be covered with soil once and ci ha f 
its own depth, measuring the bulb from the collar of its neck to its actual base. On light sandy sods the 
bulbs may be planted a tride deeper than on heavy stiff sods, and in the North of England and 
localities they should be put in a little deeper than in the warmer southern districts. 
Position and Grouping for Effect.-All Daffodils prefer partial shade, although 
most of them will grow equally well in the open. The varieties which are 
are indicated in the following pages by an ». In the dower border, to obtain the best effect. Daffodils 
should be planted in large groups of irregular outline, each group or clump to contain one variety only , 
avoid straiglit lines, circles, and symmetrical designs. Masses of Daffodi s should ^ 
Hardy Flower border, where irregular and effective sweeps can be planted between the dun ps of 
herbaLous plants which in their turn grow up and hide as we 1 shdter the 
going to rest. In grouping Daffodils the season of dowering should be borne in mind, as the vaiieties 
fdoom in succession from die end of February to the end of May, during "''‘f , 3 " 
selection, a constant succession of dowers can be maintained. On page 13 we denote the rotation of blooming. 
Naturalising DafTodilS in Grass, Etc.— All Daffodils may be planted in grass 
with perfect success. To produce the best effect, the three groups should be kept separa e : the Star 
Narcissi should not be mixed with the Great 'Irumpets, nor loets Narcissi with V ^ 
jdantiug, make the breaks large and bold, scatte.ing the bulbs over the ground '^™adca t 
and planting them where they fall. Avoid symmetrical lines or formal circles as far as possd e as these 
are not found in nature. In planting under trees, avoid jilaces where the drip from the branches is 
greatest, also where the main roots of the trees come close to the surface. 1 nn 
DAFFODII.S never look more beautiful or are seen to greater advantage than when "K 
grassy slopes or banks, and we strongly recommend our customers to avail themselves of such situations 
"varieties Suitable FOR Naturai.ising in Woodlands, Grasslands, Glmies, Etc.. 
Delighting in Partial SnADE.-The following are mostly free seeders, and wil therefore spre^l 
niturally; they are mostly wild plants— Abscissas, Countess of Annesley, Excelsior, Golden Spin, lleniy 
