444 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November ID, 1885. 
divisions pointed and bent inward; cup rich yellow; a very hand¬ 
some and distinct kind. 
N. Leedsi. —This represents a beautiful series of hybrid 
forms appertaining to N. incomparabilis in flower form, but 
supposed to have first resulted from a cross between N. mon- 
tanus and 1ST. Pseudo-Narcissus. Amongst the best are the 
following—Amabilis, perianth divisions silvery white, very 
large ; cup very long and prominent, delicate primrose changing 
to white; extremely beautiful. Gem, divisions white, very 
symmetrical; cup very pale primrose, deepening in colour with 
age; this is one of the perfectly formed flowers of the series. 
Superbus, divisions white, large and drooping; cup long, prim¬ 
rose, fading to white with age Queen of England, a model 
flower, with white divisions; cup canary changing to white. 
N. Nelsoni is a very distinct form with large spreading 
flowers ; perianth pure white ; cup rich yellow, rather long and 
cylindrical. Aurantiaca produces rather smaller flowers, and 
the cup is heavily stained with orange-scarlet, a gem of gems, 
but extremely scarce. Pulchellus, flowers of exquisite form, 
divisions white, cup yellow, smaller than the others, and 
drooping. 
GhOUp 3.—THE POET’S AND POLYANTHUS NARCISSI. 
N, Burbidgei. —This represents a good number of very 
pretty early-flowering varieties, hybrids between N. incompara¬ 
bilis and N. poeticus, but as they favour the latter most they 
are arranged in this group The best of them are the type with 
creamy white divisions, and the cup edged with scarlet—Gon- 
spicnus, perianth divisions pale sulphur; cup large, edged with 
scarlet; a fine variety. John Bain, divisions white ; cup citron; 
very lovely. Jenny Deans, divisions creamy white; cup yellow, 
edged with scarlet. Robin Hood, divisions clear white; cup 
lemon, edged with orange-scarlet; very distinct and effective. 
N. poeticus (the Poet’s Narciss).—It is difficult to say which 
is the typical Poeticus Linnaeus examined when he christened 
this charming species, as the forms are very numerous, some 
early and others late-flowering, the first batch in March and 
April, the last following on in May, sometimes into June. Of the 
first series angustifolius is worth growing, the divisions are pure 
white, crown margined with rose ; flowers rather small, and 
foliage narrow. Ornatus is in my opinion the best of all ; pure 
white, with large,broad, flat divisions; cup margined with red most 
sweetly scented, and simply invaluable for cutting, &c. Of the 
May-flowering ones recurvus may be mentioned, which is com¬ 
monly called the Pheasant’s Eye Narcissus, and too well known 
to require description ; to this belong the beautiful double- 
flowered form appearing at the same time, and universally in 
demand for floral work. 
N. Tazetta (the Polyanthus Narcissus). — There are a large 
number of charming varieties of these, but I will only name 
half a dozen. Bazelman major, immense trusses of large flowers, 
pure white, with yellow cups. Gloriosus, creamy white, with 
orange cup, very charming. Grand Monarque, large flowers, 
pui'e white, citron cup, a very striking kind. Grand Soleil d’Or, 
yellow divisions, rich orange cup, very free and bright, one of 
the best for general cultivation. Jaune Supreme, primrose 
divisions, and orange cup ; very fine. Paper White, pure white, 
flowers much smaller than the others, but very early and useful 
for forcing. The value of these Narcissi for pot culture is well 
known, but they are not half so much appreciated as they should 
be; no greenhouse should be without a fair quota of them to 
cheer the early months of the year. 
DOUBLE DAFFODILS AND NARCISSI. 
N. capax (Queen Anne’s Double Daffodil).—A very pretty 
kind of perfect form, soft primrose colour, segments imbricated 
in the form of a star ; it is comparatively scarce, but somehow it 
has accumulated in Ireland. I came across some fine batches 
there last spring which quite surprised me. It should cei'tainly 
be in all collections. 
N. cernuus, fl.-pl. —A duplex form of one of the Silver 
Trumpet, most beautiful and scai-ce, creamy white and primrose. 
There are two forms, one in which the trumpet is entire, with the 
tube well filled with segments; the other has the trumpet quite 
broken up, the divisions being more numerous and developed, 
when fully open resembling a Rose somewhat. This is, I think, 
the rarer variety of the two. 
N. pseudo-Narcissus, fl -pl.— This is comparatively scarce. 
In a wild state the trumpet is intact and filled with segments, 
but there is a charming variety which has been circulated re¬ 
cently as albus aureus fl.-pl., which is in form much like N. 
capax, but the deep golden yellow and pale sulphur segments are 
prettily alternated, thus forming a most effective feature. 
N. Telamonius, fl.-pl. (Yan Sion). — This is the old com¬ 
mon double Daffodil of our gardens, and needs no further mention. 
All the foregoing belong to No. 1 group. The following belong 
to the Peerless section. 
N. incomparabilis, fl.-pl. (Butter and Eggs).—This is a 
very common form, most abundant in many places, admirably 
adapted for naturalising, unfortunately frequently distributed 
for Orange Phoenix, a much superior kind Those seeing the 
latter offered very cheap—well, lower than 12s. per 100, should 
fight shy of such an offer. 
N. i. atjrantius,fl.-pl. (OrangePhoenix,EggsandBacon).— 
A"grand variety with immense double flowers; the outside white, 
the centre sulphur and deep orange, most effective for borders. 
N. I. SULPHUREUS, fl.-pl. (Sulphur or Silver Phcenix, Codlins 
and Cream).—Truly the Cream, if not the Codlins, of this series, 
producing very large flowers, at first pale sulphur, changing to 
creamy white, sweetly scented, and of elegant outline. 
N. odorus minor, fl.-pl. (Queen Anne’s Double Jonquil).— 
A very pretty dwarf-growing variety, with very double flowers 
of a rich golden yellow, sweetly scented, and most desirable in 
any border, where it should remain undisturbed, as it rebels 
against intrusion when once established. The double form of 
poeticus I have previously referred to. In concluding these 
notes I wish to impress upon the reader how inadequately they 
represent the great and lovely family of Daffodils, as the selection 
is a most rigid one, but as much more space is taken up than I 
had intended, for the nonce this must be sufficient.—J. T. R. 
FRUIT AND PLANT HOUSES. 
(Continued from page 421.) 
In passing to the construction of houses I may briefly allude to 
the site, which for any purpose should be high and dry— i.e., if there 
is choice of site let it be such that the water will drain from the pro¬ 
posed structure. This more particularly applies to fruit houses, which 
are best when they are not only on rising ground, but have the 
masonry disposed that the borders will be so high the water will 
pass away freely. Even plant houses, except for special purposes, are 
best kept well above the surrounding ground level, particularly when 
the plants are of flowering size. Still, houses for plants are very 
often sunk, as they then afford a greater uniformity of moisture. 
Such are low span-roofs with often a sunken path as seen in 
nurseries for the growth of young stock, but these houses are not so 
common in private gardens as their usefulness warrants, especially as 
they are so inexpensive and appropriate for growing plants to furnish 
conservatories. One of the greatest mistakes made in horticultural 
building is having a large greenhouse or conservatory in which a 
display is expected to be kept without any regard to the means by 
which it is to be maintained. The large house is very well, but it 
proves disappointing unless aids are forthcoming in the shape of small 
houses in which plants can be raised to maintain the successional 
display. 
In the matter of masonry or other base for the structure of what¬ 
ever description little need be said, only it should be of sound durable 
material and put together in a workmanlike manner. There is one 
point, however, which I think deserving of more than passing notice 
—viz., the width of the masonry. For ordinary houses we have 
9-inch walls with correspondingly wide wall plates, or 11 inches, 
leaving an inch inside for plates, and a corresponding inch or more 
outside to allow for drip, and its groove on the outside to cause the 
water to fall clear of the wall. Now, I do not believe in this waste 
of timber ; in fact, the less we have of it the better alike for 
economy and durability. The larger the timber the greater is the 
danger or difficulty of securing or selecting it free from sap, knots, and 
other imperfections. There is no reason why the walls for three or 
four courses or a foot to 15 inches under the wall plate should be 
more than 4| inches thick, especially if built in cement, whereby we 
add 4^ inches to the width of the house for each wall, and reduce 
the timber forming the front and back, side or sides, of the house by 
one-half without any depreciation of the strength or duralleness of 
the structure. This forms a ledge available for the hot-water pipes, 
or it may be used as a shelf for small plants, or if a stage it widens 
it by 4£ inches, which certainly is a consideration. In the case of 
low walls there is no need to have them more than 4J inches thick if 
they have proper foundation and are built in cement. 
It may be observed that I am fully cognisant of the value of thick 
walls in preventing the radiation of heat, as well as of their absorbent 
power both in regard to heat and moisture, and of their value in this 
respect there is no question. I see more reasoD, however, why even 
these, in the case of lean-to’s or unequal spans, should be taken up 
their full thickness to the wall plates, but be narrowed to 4J inches 
for their top three courses at least, so as to render less timber 
necessary, or lessen the necessity for an expensive coping by covering 
back walls with the glass, which would widen the house, taking back 
