540 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 26, 1896. 
be held, much in advance of their actual 
occurrence. The Daffodil season extends 
from March to June, exclusive of the 
Channel and Scilly Islands ; but the time 
to get a representative exhibition of them is 
when the greater number of kinds may be 
had in bloom. This relative shortness of 
the season does, no doubt, in a measure, 
contribute to their popularity ; for they are 
practically over and gone before the public 
has time to become satiated with them, 
and before it has time to recover from the 
pleasing surprise of their first advent at the 
opening of the growing year. 
It seems like disillusion, after so many 
centuries, to be told that the Poet s 
Narcissus, the Naykissos of Theocritus and 
of Greece, Italy, and Egypt, is not 
Narcissus poeticus at all, but N. Tazetta, 
which is a native of Greece, while the 
former is not. This is what Mr. F. W. 
Burbidge, M.A., Curator of Trinity 
College Botanic Gardens, Dublin, told his 
audience on the 14th inst. N. Tazetta, in 
a wild state, extends from the Canary 
Islands through Portugal and South Europe 
to Cashmere, China, and Japan. Well- 
preserved specimens of it have been dis¬ 
covered in Egyptian tombs with mummies 
that were entombed 2,000 B.C. It has 
been valued or venerated by all the nations 
in whose country it grew from the ancient 
past to the present time. The Chinese 
Sacred Lily is a variety of it. On the other 
hand the species which has been immortal¬ 
ised by Shakespeare, and all other poets of 
the British races, is the Daffodil or spurious 
Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus, also known as 
the Lent Lily, from the period of its bloom¬ 
ing. English poets, or whoever first 
supplied the name, do not seem, however, 
to have recognised any connection between 
the Daffodil of their meadows and the 
Narcissus of the Greek and Latin poets. 
The name has been derived from Asphodel 
by a process of evolution or corruption of the 
original spelling. Practically, therefore, 
the name Asphodel has been applied to 
species of plants belonging to at least four 
different genera—namely, Narcissus Aspho- 
delus, Asphodeline, and Narthecium. As 
the name became more popular with our 
ancestors, they played with it and added to 
its length with variations of spelling till it 
became Daffadowndillies. The leading 
characteristics of the Poet’s Narcissus of 
the ancients were its modest and quiet 
beauty, suggesting the well-known fable of 
the love-sick Narcissus, and its subtle 
fragrance. Yet the name has been derived 
from narhe, stupor, from the supposed 
narcotic properties of the plant. The more 
prominent epithets applied to the Daffodil 
by English poets are dancing, fluttering, 
boldness, sprightliness, liveliness, and 
elegance, though the frequent allusion to its 
golden colour is more suggestive of culti¬ 
vated forms than the pale sulphur and .soft 
yellow of the Daffodil of English meadows. 
At the present day, double Daffodils are 
most in favour amongst our Continental 
neighbours, the French. Twenty and 
thirty years ago double Daffodils were 
paramount in Scotland in the beds and 
borders of cottagers as well as in the larger 
gardens of the gentry, also under the 
hedges, in the woodland and amongst the 
grass in the pleasure grounds. All had 
been planted, of course, and belonged to N. 
telamonius plenus and' N. lobularis flore 
pleno. A single Daffodil was a rara avis 
even to the professional gardener. Through¬ 
out Britain, the single varieties are now the 
most popular, and long, medium, and small- 
crowned types receive their due mead of 
praise and appreciation. 
As an instance of the method of cultiva¬ 
tion which is now receiving a great amount 
of attention, we may refer to the wild 
garden and other spaces, railed off from the 
public or otherwise, in the Royal Gardens, 
Kew, the Royal Botanic Society’s Gardens, 
Regent’s Park, and other places, both public 
and private. There is now a wealth of all the 
types in various forms and sizes, so that the 
chief aim of the raisers of new kinds is to 
get varieties that will equal or even excel 
such giants as Glory of Leiden, Weardale 
Perfection, Golden Bell, Madame de Graaff, 
and Sir Watkin. Already, however, we 
hear the murmurs and growls of the artist 
that Daffodils are getting too large, thereby 
losing their natural grace and elegance. 
Strange to say, there is no desire to 
lengthen the season by late-flowering 
varieties for Grandis is already unpopular 
and considered belated. 
■— t- - 
Mr. A. Ross, lately head gardener to Arthur 
Gilbertson, Esq , Glanrhyd, near Swansea, has been 
appointed gardener to W. E. George, Esq., Down¬ 
side, Stoke Bishop, Bristol. 
Sweet Pea The Bride, a new white-seeded, white- 
flowered variety, of robust habit and a prolific 
bloomer is to be exhibited at the Temple Show of 
the Royal Horticultural Society. 
About 1,000 packages of flowers arrived at Waterloo 
Railway Station the other week. The consignment 
contained a considerable quantity of Richardia 
africana, and was shipped chiefly from Guernsey. 
Rotherfield Cottage Gardeners’ Association.—At a 
meeting of the members of this association, held the 
other week, it was arranged that the summer show 
should take place on the 29th July. It will be held 
at Rotherfield Hall by permission of Lindsay Hogg, 
Esq. 
The average yield of Prunes in California, when 
the crop is full, is about eight tons per acre, says 
American Gardening. The average cost of caring for 
the orchards, harvesting and curing such a crop, is 
thirty dollars per acre, leaving a nett income per 
acre of 210 dollars. 
Eastbourne Horticultural Society.—At the monthly 
meeting of this society on the 13th inst., the 
secretary, Mr. E. A. Newman, read a letter from the 
London, Brighton and South Coast Railway 
Company, in which it was stated that the company 
would convey plants to and from the Chrysanthemum 
show in autumn, free of expense, provided that the 
plants were unsold and carried at the owners' risk. 
Some prizes were awarded to members for exhibits 
of Azaleas, Spiraeas, and vegetables. 
The California Violet, according to some writers in 
The Florist's Exchange originated in France. One 
correspondent says that it was found in the woods in 
France. Another writes to the effect that he had a 
letter from an old friend at Bourg-Le-Reine, France, 
saying that he had sold some Violets to a Mr. Joseph 
Carbone, of San Francisco, several years ago, and 
imagines the latter to be the same party a.1 mentioned 
by the first writer. If this history is the correct one 
it shows how little dependence there is in a name as 
a guide to the origin of a plant. 
Wolverhampton Spring Show.—The second annual 
spring show held under the auspices of the Wolver¬ 
hampton and Staffordshire Auxiliary of the 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution, took place 
on the gth inst. The proceeds are intended for the 
benefit of the funds of the parent institution. The 
Drill Hall was gay with Orchids, Azaleas, Caladiums, 
Heaths, Carnations, and various other flowers, T. 
Baker, Esq., Waterdale, contributed a showy group 
of Cinerarias, Azaleas, Trumpet Lilies, Celsia 
cretica, Ferns, &c. G. H. Thompson, of Walsall, 
had a fine group of Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, and 
Oncidiums. Other exhibitors were Messrs. F. 
Sander & Co., St. Albans; Messrs. B. S. Williams 
& Son. Upper Holloway; Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & 
Son, Highgate; Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea; 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham ; 
Messrs. Barr & Son, King Street, Covent Garden; 
and Messrs. Hugh Low & Co., Clapton. Hamar 
Bass, Esq., sent over a hundred Carnations for sale. 
Other exhibitors also sent flowers for sale, the pro¬ 
ceeds going to the fund of the Auxiliary in behalf of 
the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. The 
Orchids and Daffodils drew the lion’s share of 
attention from the visitors. 
A Carnival and Battle of Flowers are being 
arranged to take place on the Princess Pier, Torquay, 
on the 6th of May. 
Tropical Fruits at Lagos.—Bananas are so cheap 
in the Canary Islands that one can get as many for 
a penny as serve to make fritters for three meals and 
leave some over. Two Pineapples may be bought 
for three-halfpence. 
Apples and Pears in the Carse of Gowrie, Forfar¬ 
shire, promise remarkably well for an abundant crop 
of fruit; and if no late frosts supervene in April or 
May, a good harvest will, no doubt, be realised. This 
is more than the growers expected seeing that last 
year’s crop was so heavy. In some cases the Plums 
do not show so well, but they bore very heavily last 
year. 
Double Wallflowers had formerly to be raised from 
cuttings, but they can now be grown much more easily 
from seed, and pretty true to character. The 
German double varieties are most amenable for this 
purpose; and it does not seem that they can be 
raised very readily any other way, for they generally 
run up with a single unbranched stem from which 
no cuttings can be had. 
Chrysanthemum Culture.—In view of the 
increasing importance of the “Autumn Queen of 
Flowers," and the constant additions to the rank of 
cultivators, we considered that articles giving the 
more important cultural details during the period of 
growth might be appreciated by our readers, 
particularly those who may be taking up their 
cultivation with a view to the production of large 
blooms for exhibition or otherwise. These articles 
will be written by a practical grower. 
Welden Horticultural Society.—The annual meeting 
of this society was held on the 4th inst., in the 
Church of England Schools, Mr. J. Rooke, Jun., 
presiding. The statement of accounts showed a 
balance in hand, and the report was adopted. The 
Rev. W. R. Finch-Hatton was elected president, the 
Earl of Winchester, Messrs. J. Rooke, S. J. Lloyd, 
and J. Singlehurst vice-presidents, and Dr. Stokes, 
secretary and treasurer. A committee of eight was 
also appointed. It was arranged that the annual 
show should be held on July 18th. 
National testimonial to Mr. A. F. Barron.—The 
subscribers and others interested in the testimonial 
that has been got up by Mr. Barron's wide circle of 
friends, met at the Hotel Windsor, Victoria Street, 
Westminster, on Tuesday last. About forty sat 
down to luncheon under the presidency of Dr. 
Maxwell T. Masters, who, later on, presented Mr. 
Barron with a cheque for £500. The chairman made 
a speech appropriate to the occasion, after which 
Mr. Wm. Marshall and Mr. B. Wynne made some 
remarks. Mr. Barron feelingly responded, thanking 
those concerned for the presentation, which he much 
appreciated. 
Daffodil Show at Dublin.—The spring show of the 
Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland was held on 
the gth inst., in the Royal University Building, 
Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin. The show included 
Hyacinths, Tulips, Lilies, Azaleas, Roses, Pelar¬ 
goniums, and other flowering plants as well as Ferns; 
but Daffodils were an overpowering feature of the 
same. Miss Currey, of Lismore, with her usual 
success carried off the Cup given for Daffodils by 
Messrs. Barr & Son, London. L. G. Watson, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. Flynn), had the best group of foliage 
and flowering plants. Mrs. Goodbody (gardener, 
Mr. Sayers), led the way with six specimen Azaleas ; 
and F. A. Millar, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Colohan), was 
first for smaller plants. John Millar (gardener, Mr. 
Geoghegan), took the leading award both for twelve and 
nine Hyacinths; he also had the best Alpine Auriculas 
Lord Ardilaun (gardener, Mr. Campbell), also 
secured a number of prizes, including the first for 
twenty-four bunches of Daffodils. The Hon. Col. 
Crighton (gardener, Mr. Mitchison) took the lead 
for twelve varieties of Daffodils. Captain Osborne 
(gardener, Mr. Higgins) had the best stand of 
Marechal Niel Roses; and E. D'Olier, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. Harvey), took the lead for twelve 
blooms of Tea Roses. Lord Ardilaun had the best 
twenty four blooms of Pansies. Lord Gough 
(gardener, Mr. Cumming) led the way in the class 
for twelve bunches of Violas. In the class for 
hardy cut flowers bloomed _in the open, Lord 
