2 
BARR’S GOLD MEDAL DAFFODILS, 1917. 
Culture &nd Adaptation of the Daffodil OMidoors— continued. 
QrOilping^ 'for Effect. — To oblain the best efTect, DafTodils should be planted in large groups 
of irregular outline, each group or clump to contain one variety only ; avoid straight lines, circles, and 
symmetrical designs. Masses of Daffoilils should always appear in the Hardy Mower border, where 
irregular and efTcctive sweeps can be planted between the clumps of herbaceous plants which in their 
turn grow up and hide as well as shelter the DafTodil foliage while it is going to rest. In grouping 
Daffodils the season of flowering should be !)orne in mind, as the varieties bloom in succession from the 
end of February to the end of May, during which period, by a judicious selection, a constant succession 
of flowers can be maintained. On page lo wc denote the rotation of blooming. 
Natural ising^ Daffodils in Grass, Etc. — All Daflbdils may be planted in grass 
with perfect success. To produce the best efi'ect, the three groups should be kept separate : thus the Star 
Narcissi should not be mi.xcd with the Great Trumpets, nor Poet’s Narcissi with the Star Narcissi. In 
planting, make the breaks large and bold, scatteiing the bulbs over the ground broadcast with the hand, 
and planting them where they fall. Daffodils never look more beautiful than when growing on 
grassy slopes or banks, and \ve strongly recommend our customers to avail themselves of such situations 
for naturalising Dafl'odils. In planting under trees, avoid places where the drip from the branches is 
greatest, also where the main roots of the trees come close to the surface. 
Method of Planting Daffodils in Grass. — Wc recemmend for this work our Special Bulb 
Planter {see page 31). By the use of this implement the trouble of planting bulbs in grass is reduced to 
a minimum. It takes out a clean, circular piece of turf 2 to 2 \ inches in diameter, and of suflicient depth. 
On making the second hole this piece of turf is released from the planter and lies ready on the ground to 
cover the bulb with. l‘he soil is not in any way tightly pressed and made hard, which is the case when 
an ordinary dibber is used, and the appearance of the grass is not spoilt ; in fact, after planting 10,000 
bulbs with this tool on a greensward, one could hardly detect that the grass had been touched. If the 
ground is poor, a compost of fresh soil with an abundance of Crushed Bones (7 lbs. to a bushel) or 
P^hytobroma (3 lbs. to bushel) should be made and a little of the compost dropped into each hole before 
jdacing in the bulb, a little more should be given as a covering, and then the sod of turf be replaced and 
pressed down. 'I'hc bulbs will then be given a fair start in their new quarters. 
The Best Time for Planting in Grass is with the advent of the autumn rains^ when the ground 
is in a fairly moist condition. 
CUTTING DAFFODILS FOR HOUSE DECORATION AND EXHIBITION. 
To obtain very fine blooms Daffodils should be cut in a young state, just when the bud is bursting, 
placed in water and allowed lo expand in a greenhouse or sitting-room. The blooms opened in this 
way are larger and finer in texture and purer in colour than those which develop out of doors. 
Culture of Daffodils in Pots or Boxes. 
Time of Potting. — Pot as early in autumn as possible to obtain the finest results and earliest blooms. 
The best Comto.st to pot Daflodils in is a mixture of two-thirds good fibrous loam, and one- 
third old decayed leaf soil, with a sprinkling of sharp silyer sand, adding lbs of bone meal or i lb. 
Pbylobroina {see page 31) to every bushel of soil, which mix well together befoic using. In all cases the 
soil used should be fresh and sweet ; never pot in soil that is wet or sticky. In order to destroy all 
injuiious insect life it is a good plan to sterilise potting soil before adding the Phytobroma or boncmeal ; 
wc recommend for this purpo.se the Kondine Soil. Steiumser, ]>ricc 45/- (full paiticulars on application), 
or small quantities of soil can be sterilised in a sack by pouring over it a large kettle of boiling water and 
then spreading out The soil lo dry. 
The Pots should be carefully washed and allowed to dry before using; new pots shoukl be well 
soake<l. N<ver pot in dirty or wet pots. 
CiOOl) Drainage should be secured by placing three or more pieces of charcoal (in preference to 
broken crocks) over the drainage hole, covering the charco.al or crocks with a little rough fibre from the 
loam. When boxes arc used, the slit at bottom of box should be covered with pieces of charcoal, a 
good la^cr of rough fibrous loam or leaf soil placed at bottom of box to ensure perfect drainage. 
Covering the Bulbs. — The larger bulbs need not be quite covered with soil, the level of which 
shoidd be half an inch below the rim of the pot to allow of watering when the bulbs are in growth. 
Bulbs of the miniature species should be covered with half an inch of soil. 
After fotting, stand the pots or boxes out.side in the open, on a firm bottom such as a bed of 
ashes or a gravel path lo prevent the entrance of worms. They should then be surrounded and com- 
pletely covered with Peat-fibie, or old decayed leaf soil (ashes are daitgcroiis, as being often veiy 
poisonous), the top of the pot^ being 2 inches below the surface of the covering material. This will 
secure a natural and moist condition to the bulbs and encourage root action. So long as the pots remain 
buried they will require no watering. 
