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BARR’S GOLD MEDAL DAFFODILS, 191S. 
Culture and Adaptation of the Daffodil Outdoors. 
Soil and its Treatment.— The Daffodil will thrive in any ordinary garden soil, but prefers 
a deep, rather moist sandy loam. When the soil is of a dry and sandy nature, it should be deeply dug, if 
possible a season previous to planting the bulbs, well-decayed cow manure being added, and a vegetable 
or annual crop grown on the ground. Before the bulbs are planted a sprinkling of quick-lime should 
be spread on the surface and dug in. If it is not convenient to first take ofif a crop of Vegetables or 
Annuals, then, in digging, mix with the soil crushed bones at the rate of i.j oz. to the square yard. The 
ammoniacal properties of stable manure are injurious to the Daffodil ; if used, therefore, it should be placed 
well below the bulb. On good retentive loamy soils a dressing of lime may be given every three years, 
with an annual dressing of Basic Slag, at the rale of 7^ oz. to the square yard. 
Freshly dug Soil should be allowed to stand vacant two to three weeks before planting, to allow 
the ground to settle down, otherwise the freshly planted bulbs are sometimes draw'n under considerably 
below their proper depth, and the bloom in consequence is apt to be weakened and retarded the first season. 
The Best and Safest Manures to use are Crushed Bones, Dissolved Bones, Basic Slag, or 
Phytobroma applied at planting lime, and mixed with the soil ; the Crushed or Dissolved Bones at the 
rate of 6 cwt. to the acre, or 2 oz. to the square yard, and Basic Slag at the rate of 1 ton to the acre, 
or 7j- oz. to the square yard. We recommend for light soils Crushed Bones in preference to Basic Slag. 
On very poor and dry sandy soils we recommend in addition Sulphate of Potash, 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 J oz. to the square yard. The potash not only increases the depth of colour in the flowers, but also 
helps to hold moisture in the soil, an essential condition to the perfect development of the Daffodil. 
In the case of bulbs \vhich have not been lifted we recommend a top dressing (well hoed in) of Phytobroma 
or Dissolved Bones in November and again in January or early February, at the rate of 3 oz. to the square 
yard. Price List of Manures will be found on pa»e 36. 
In Early Spring, as 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 rains ; a handy tool for tliis purpose will be 
found offered on page 35. Where practicable it is advisable to cover the ground in November with some 
light covering material, such as peat-fibre, pulled heather, cut furze, or gorse, or even old pea sticks laid 
across the ground ; stable manure is not a good mulch for Daffodils The primary object of a mulch is to 
prevent the autumn rains hardening the crust of the ground and to break the severity of a sudden frost. 
Planting and Lifting. — The best time to plant, to obtain the finest flowers, is early 
Autumn (as early as possible), altho2igk 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 February, and had some very good 
blooms in May. We recommend, however, early planting for best results. I'he bulbs may be left undis- 
turbed for years in ordinary good loamy soils, but on poor or light soils they are better lifted every two 
years, as soon as the foliage has died down, replanting the best bulbs either immediately or as early as 
convenient. Never plant when the ground is wet and sticky. Do not put silver sand around the bulbs 
of Narcissi except in the case of the Bulbocodium varieties. 
Depth to Plant. — The average depth to plant is from 2 to 3 inches, that is to say, a covering 
of 2 to 3 inches of soil. As the bulbs vary considerably in size, according to the relative varieties, the 
best rule to go by is the bulb itself, which should be covered %vith soil once and a half its own depths 
measuring the bulb from the collar of its neck to its actual base. On light sandy soils the bulbs may be 
planted a trifle deeper than on heavy stiff soils, and in the North of England and in cold localities they 
should be put in a little deeper than in the warmer southern districts. 
Grouping ■for Effect. — 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 straight lines, circles, and 
symmetrical designs. Masses of Daffodils should always appear in the Hardy Flower border, where 
irregular and effective sweeps can be planted between the clumps of herbaceous plants which in their 
turn grow up and hide as well as .shelter the Daffodil foliage while it is going to rest. In grouping 
Daffodils the season of flowering should be borne 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 mnintained. On page 12 we denote the rotation of blooming. 
Naturalising Daffodils in Grass, Etc.— All Daffodils may be planted in grass 
with perfect success. To produce the best effect, the three groups should be kept separate : thus the Star 
Narcissi should not be mixed with the Great Trumpets, nor Poet’s Narcissi with the Star Narcissi. In 
planting, make the breaks large and bold, scattering 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 we strongly recommend our customers to avail themselves of such situations 
for naturalising Daffodils. 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. 
