December 1. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
203 
cultivated specimen is growing in the same house as 
the Amherstia nobilis, at Ealing Park (Mrs. Lawrence’s). 
It is five feet high and as much through. In general, 
it does not grow more than two feet high. The fronds 
are pinnate, and of a bright green; leaves large, and 
slightly cut; rootstock bundled, that is, many heads of 
fronds sot upon it. One or more of these, takon off 
close to the base, and placed in pots, under a handlight, 
iu beat, soon emit roots, and form good plants. 
D. 0'1'ites (Otitcs).—A Brazilian Pern of considerable 
beauty. The Asplenium Otites of Link. Fronds 
eighteen inches long, pinnate, and of a lively green; 
margin deeply cut. The stem is scaly, and is placed 
upon an erect root-stock, consequently, requires to be 
increased by seed. 
D. plantaoineum (Plantain-leaved).—The only one 
of the genus with simple fronds. It is from the West 
Indies, and is of a dwarf habit, producing young plants 
from the base of the frond. The fronds are nearly all 
fertile. On account of its dwarf habit it is suitable for 
small collections. Increased in the same way as D. 
juglandifolium, or by its buds at the base of the fronds. 
D. Shejcherdii (Mr. Shepherd’s).-—A beautiful 
Jamaica Fern, named in honour of the late Mr. Shep¬ 
herd, of the Liverpool Botanic Gardens, a most suc¬ 
cessful cultivator of tho tribe. Fronds pinnate, growing 
a foot or more in height; seed-cases very regularly and 
beautifully arranged. It is a lovely Fern, and may be 
increased by division. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued .) 
THE NARCISSUS. 
This early-blooming flower, one of the harbingers of 
| clear skies and fine spring weather, is an universal 
favourite, and is desirable on account of its beauty, 
fragrance, perfect hardihood, and early flowering. As 
a florists’ flower, the species have been hybridized and 
greatly improved. The Narcissus may be divided into 
three classes, as follows :— 
1st. The Polyanthus ( Narcissus Tazettci), the varieties 
of which are the common white, the sulphur, and the 
white and yellow. Of these there are a great number of 
named kinds; such as, for instance, Grand Monarqne, 
Grand Due, Solid D'or, and Paper White. 
2nd. The Jonquil (N. Jonquilla), is named from its 
rush-like leaves. Of this class there are the Single 
sweet-scented, and the Double sweet large-flowered. 
3rd. The Daffodil (N. pseudo-narcissus) which, in its 
I original state, is found wild iu woods, in strong soils, in 
I Britain. Of this class thero are the Common-double, 
the Double, with white petals and a yellow cup; the 
Least Daffodil (minor), the poeticus, with a crimson 
edged cup, and many other intermediate varieties. 
L. Leeds, Esq., of St. Ann’s, Manchester, has lately 
bloomed some very splendid varieties, some of which 
; are figured in the “ Gardeners’ Magazine of Botany,” 
j (Moore and Ayres), for the year 1851, published by 
W. S. Orr and Co. As Mr. Leeds has successfully 
proved that this flower may be greatly improved by the 
usual methods florists resort to for that purpose, and 
which I shall describe by-and by, I think the com¬ 
mittees of T loricultural Societies ought to afford the 
encouragement lor their production that they have so 
effectively done to the Auricula, Hyacinth, and other 
florists flowers. For early spring shows, a table of 
Narcissi would be an attractive addition, in conjunction 
with the other already-valued early prize flowers. 
! That this flower can bo greatly improved, we have the 
| example of the Dutch florists, as well as that of Mr. 
Leeds, mentioned above; and in order to induce the 
i readers of The Cottage Gardener to enter into this 
j almost untried field (at least in this country), I shall 
endeavour to doscribe tho means and method they ought 
to adopt. 
I shall divido the subject into the following sections: 
1st. The Properties. 2nd. Propagation. 3rd. Winter 
Culture. 4th.- Summer Culture. 
Section 1 . Properties of a good Narcissus. —This 
point, every cultivator intending either to grow for 
competition, or to improve the breed, ought to study 
and remember— 
1st. Tho stem should be strong enough to bear the 
flower erect without support. 
2nd. The outer petal should bo broad, flat, and as 
round as possible; the inner petal, or nectary, should 
bo cup-shaped, perfectly round and smooth at the edges, 
ft edged with any colour, it should bo uniform, not 
broken, or running down in stripes into the lower por¬ 
tion of tho nectary. The other colours should be clear 
and bright. 
3rd. Double flowers, such as the Jonquil, should be 
perfectly so, the whole forming three parts of a ball, 
the centre being well filled up. 
4th. Varieties bearing many flowers on each stem, such 
as the Single Jonquil, and the Polyanthus Narcissus, 
should have the short flower-stems, or peduncles, all 
nearly of the same length, and all of the flowers open 
at tho same time. Each pip of these many-flowered 
varieties should have all the properties described in No. 2. 
2. Propagation: by Seed to obtain New Varie¬ 
ties.— Here I cannot do better than quote Mr. Leeds 
directions, given in the work I have already referred to. 
Mr. Leeds says—“ To obtain good varieties, it is need¬ 
ful, the previous season, to plant the roots of some of 
each kind in pots, and to bring them into the green¬ 
house 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 these were in flower. 
With me the plants always seed best iu the open 
ground. When the seed-vessels begin to swell, the 
flower-stems should be carefully tied-up, and watched 
until the seeds turn black; I do not wait until the seed- 
vessels burst, as many seeds in that case fall to the 
ground, and are lost, but take them off when mature, 
with a portion of tho stem, which I insert in the earth 
in a scod-pot, or pan, provided for their reception. I 
place them in a north aspect, and the seeds, in due 
season, are 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 half-au-inch deep 
with sandy soil. The soil should bo two-thirds pure 
loam and one-third sharp sand; tho drainage com¬ 
posed of rough turfy soil. In October, I plunge the 
seed-pots in a cold frame facing the south, and the 
young plants begin to appear in December and 
throughout the winter, according to their kinds aud 
the mildness of tho weather. It is needful, in their ' 
earliest stage, to look well after slugs and snails.” 
To recommend and encourage tho raising of seedliugs, 
Mr. Leeds says—“I think much remains to be done in 
the production of fine hybrids of this beautiful tribe of 
plants; aud it may be mentioned, these are not 
ephemeral productions, like many florists’ flowers, but 
will last for centuries, with very little care, as the com¬ 
mon kinds have done in our gardens.” 
This gentleman I have the pleasure of being ac- I 
quainted with, and a more enthusiastic lover of flowers 
does not live. His garden I have had the pleasure of 
visiting for several years, and always leave it with regret, 
because I have never had time enough to see all its j 
treasures Fie is rich in hybrids of many flowers un¬ 
thought of as capable of improving by hybridizing. I 
should enjoy, if present, a meeting between him and i 
our equally enthusiastic, in hybridizing, Mr. Beaton. 
To return to our subject. It is necessary to advise the 
cultivator, who may attempt the improvement of this 
