1 
SEEDLING NARCISSI. 
SEEDLING NARCISSI. 
2fat. Order.— Amahyllidaceje. 
103 i 
'i 
Narcissus poculitokmis elegans (fig. 1).— Flowers large ; 
segments of the perianth more than twice the length of the 
cup, somewhat undulated, creamy white ; cup cyathiform, 
with a crenulate nankin-coloured margin ; spathe narrow, 
much elongated. 
N. Leedsii (fig. 2). — Flowers large ; segments of the perianth 
broadly and obtusely oval, about twice the length of the cup, 
yellow, spreading, plane ; cup between cyathiform and cupu- 
late, deep yellow, the margin indistinctly lobed, and of a deep, 
bright orange colour ; spathe somewhat elongated. 
N. major svpekbus (fig. 3). — Flowers very deep yellow* 
segments ovate spreading ; scarcely equalling the broad cam- 
panulate cup which is plaited, deeply lobed, and spreading at 
the margin ; spathe short, obtuse. 
Generic Character. — Narcissus, Linnams. — Periyone co~ 
rolline, superior, salver-shaped ; tube sub-cylindrical, straight ; 
limb six-parted, the lobes equal, spreading, or refiexed. Croicn 
of the throat (or nectary) funnel-shaped, bell-shaped, or ro- 
tate, entire or lobed, shorter or longer than the tube. Stamens 
six, inserted in two rows at the summit of the tube of the peri- 
gone, below the crown, included ; filaments very short, free or 
adherent to the tube ; anthers oblong, ineumbent. Ovary 
inferior, three-celled. Ovules numerous, in the central angle of 
the cells, in many rows, horizontal, anatropous. Style thread- 
like ; stigma obtuse. Capsule membranous, obtusely three- 
sided, three-celled, loculicidully three-valved. Seeds numerous 
or few, somewhat globular, with a black, wrinkled testa. — ■ 
Mediterranean herbs, with tnnicated radical bulbs ; the scape 
round or angular, spathe of one leaf, split in front ; flowers 
showy, white or yellow, very often nodding. — {Endllchcr Gen. 
Plant., 12S9.) 
BESCKIPTTON", History, &c. — The fine varieties of Narcissus represented in the accompany- 
ing plate are seedlings raised by E. Leeds, Esq., of St. Ann's, Manchester, a gentleman 
who has been for many years engaged in the cross-breeding of this tribe of plants, and who has 
originated many distinct and beautiful varieties. Those now figured, along with some other 
very handsome seedlings, which we shall publish shortly, were most obligingly sent to 
us last April by Mr. Leeds, who gives the following account of their origin : — The variety 
poculiformis elegans, was obtained from poculiformis (montanus) crossed with angustifolius or 
poeticus. N. Leedsii, differing chiefly from incomparabilis in the colour of the margin of the 
cup, was produced from major crossed with poeticus, which latter has communicated to it the 
deep orange ring. N. major superbus is a seedling from major, or Ajax maximus : — 
" There is no end," writes Mr. Leeds, " to the varieties and elegant forms that may be obtained. 
It is quite clear, however, that incomparabilis is no species. I think bicolor is not a species ; and that 
the number of species is very small. The late Dean of Manchester, in his papers on this tribe, mentions 
N. montanus (or Tros poculiformis) as being difficult to obtain seeds from. I have three crops of 
seedlings from this, crossed both with long and short-tubed kinds : it will cross with Ajax of all sorts, 
with poeticus and angustifolius, and, I think, with the rush-leaved species. Calathinus never seeds with 
me, but its pollen fertilizes the long-tubed species. Bicolor seeds occasional^', but not freely; I 
have varieties from this with angustifolius, poeticus, and poculiformis ; also pumilus : they are all 
very distinct and curious. Moschatus and tortuosus seed pretty freely; they will cross witli poeticus, 
poculiformis, and any of the long tubed kinds, and the produce is always beautiful. 1 think much 
remains to be done in the production of fine hybrids of this beautiful tribe of plants ; and it may be 
mentioned these arc not ephemeral productions, like many modern florists' flowers, but will last for 
centuries with very little care, as the common kinds have done in our gardens." 
Culture. — The ordinary culture of this hardy race of bulbous plants is so well understood, 
that wc need not occupy space with its details. It will bo more useful to introduce the following 
hints on the raising and treatment of seedlings, for which wc are indebted to Mr. Leeds : — 
"To obtain c-ood varieties, it is needful the previous season, to plant the roots of some of each kind 
in pots, and to bring them into the greenhouse in spring to flower, so as to obtain pollen of the late 
flowering kinds, to cross with those which otherwise would have passed away before those were in 
flower. With me, the plants always seed best in the open ground. When the seed-vessels begin to 
swell, the flower steins should be carefully tied up and watched until the seeds turn black. I do not 
wait until the seed-vessel bursts, as many seeds in that case fall to the ground and arc lost, but take 
them off when mature with a portion of the stem, which I insert in the earth, in a seed-pot or pan 
provided for their reception. I place them in a north aspect, and the seeds in due season arc shed as 
it were naturally into the pot of earth. I allow the seeds to harden for a month on the surface, before 
covering them with half an inch depth of sandy soil. The soil should be two-thirds pure loam, and 
one-third sharp sand; the drainage composed of rough and turfy soil. In October, I plunge the seed- 
pots in a cold frame Dicing the south; and the young plants begin to appear in December and 
throughout the winter according to their kinds and the mildness of the weather. It is needful, in their 
earliest stages, to look well after slu^s and snails. 
I£W~E 
