546 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 25, 1896. 
keep the soil from choking up the drainage. Upon 
this prepared bottom the soil might be placed. 
This meant the taking of a gond deal of trouble, it is 
true, but it would enable the cultivator to grow even 
the most delicate of the white trumpet Daffodils with 
success. 
The best situation was one shaded or partially 
shaded from hot sun. For that reason he always 
constructed his beds so that they sloped away from 
the sun. The months of October and November are 
popularly supposed to be the best time for planting. 
This, however, was too late. Early in August was 
the best season, as the period of rest is of exceedingly 
short duration. The earlier in August that the 
small-crowned varieties were planted the better for 
them, whilst all the rest should be in, if possible, 
by the end of the month at the latest. 
In planting, the soil should be made nicely firm. 
See that the base of the bulb is settled down quite to 
the bottom of the hole before covering up with soil, 
and do not bury the bulbs more than 2J in. to 3 in. 
below the level—that is to say, they should not be 
covered by more than that depth of soil. If they are 
not to be soon lifted, 5 in. or 6 in. between the bulbs 
and yh in. between the rows would suffice. 
Speaking of nourishment, the reverend gentleman 
recommended great caution in the use of manures. 
It is true, said he, that N. poeticus andN. Burbidgei 
like manure — in fact, the more of the “poet” 
blood there was in any variety the more liberal 
should the supply of artificial stimulant given it be, 
but the varieties of X. spurius resent the application 
of manures. He had found old horse manure, 
applied in the form of mulch in autumn, to be very 
safe and most effective. 
The bulbs might be lifted every two or three 
years, separated and replanted. Annual lifting 
will be practised where it is desired to increase the 
stock. As to the time of lifting, it is far better to 
be too early than too late, as new roots are very soon 
emitted ; in fact, some varieties required to be taken 
up whilst the foliage was yet green in order to catch 
them before they start to make fresh roots. 
Generally speaking, the end of July is quite late 
enough — for the southern counties, at all events. In 
dividing the bulbs it would be advisable to use a 
sharp knife to separate the connecting bases. 
Coming to the consideration of the varieties to 
plant, Mr. Bourne averred that the well-worn, but 
not worn-out, adage, that " the best are the 
cheapest ” would apply very appropriately here. An 
amateur's operations are necessarily limited by the 
question of expense, and where prices rule so high as 
ten guineas per bulb it is useless to think of invest, 
ing. But there are many varieties that are both 
cheap and good These he would strongly recom¬ 
mend to beginners, who, after they had tried and 
succeeded with the more vigorous-growing 
varieties, might, if they wished, attempt the cultiva¬ 
tion of the mere delicate, and, if their purse 
warranted it, the higher-priced forms. Mr. Bourne 
then gave a number of short lists containing 
selections of reliable sorts, grouping them together 
according to their cost, and arranging them in each 
list approximately in the order of flowering. 
In conclusion, the lecturer dealt with the culture 
of Narcissi in cold frames, giving very minute 
cultural details for the benefit of those who might 
wish to essay this method of culture. He advised 
cutting the flowers at an early stage, and letting 
them expand fully in water. 
Mr. M. J. Caparn. 
“The Daffodil in Art” was discoursed upon most 
ably by Mr. M. J. Carparn, who illustrated his 
remarks by printed facsimiles of the various illustra¬ 
tions that had appeared in ancient herbals with the 
letter-text attached. Many of these illustrations 
were far from being a faith r ul representation of the 
Daffodil as we know it now-a-days. This, Mr. 
Caparn was careful to point out, might, in a great 
measure, be due to the fact that many of the old 
writers copied their illustrations from others yet 
more ancient. 
There were several old books dealing with the 
Daffodil. Dioscorides, in the first century, produced 
a work of five volumes, a later edition of which was 
printed in Paris in the year 1549. This work con¬ 
tained several plates. Other authors were Appulius 
Teutonicus, Otto Brunfells, and Fuchs. In a book 
sent out by Clusius, in 1543, a plate of N. luteuswas 
given. Another, sent out by Lobell soon after, had a 
representation of N. poeticus purpureus. A publica¬ 
tion by Gerarde in 1597 contained several figures. 
In the second edition of this work, which appeared 
subsequently, the plates are not quite the same as in 
the original. John Parkinson, in 1629, sent out 
some representations from wood engravings, that 
were very good for the times, and a distinct advance 
on those of earlier dates. The style of illustration 
adopted by Haworth and Hales between the years 
1700 and 1800 closely resembles that adopted in the 
various botanical magazines to-day. The illustra¬ 
tions of Dean Herbert’s hybrids were remarkably 
good, for it must be remembered that in his days it 
was the dark age of the Daffodil, for the flower had 
no popular existence. 
It may be argued that in Parkinson’s time there 
were no good Daffodils, although it might be stated 
just as truthfully that there was no good art to make 
them known, and to hand down their likenesses to 
posterity. 
Mr. Caparn then went on to describe the best 
methods of representing a flower, saying that both 
front and side views were necessary, and a slight 
wash of the requisite colour or colours desirable. 
The place of art, said he, is to represent beauty, 
retaining, if possible, the natural gracefulness of 
form and outline. In most, if not all, of our 
double flowers all grace of outline has vanished, 
although the effect of the colouring was enhanced by 
the doubleness. The Daffodil in art is no success 
from the artist’s point of view—certainly not the 
success that the Daffodil is in nature. 
(To be continued.) 
VERNAL FLOWERS. 
[Continued.) 
VI.— Daisy (Beilis perennis). 
Thee thy name doth well portray, 
Daisy, like “ the eye of day ” 
Opening with the peep of dawn, 
Clos’d when evening’s veil is drawn ! 
Beautiful without pretence, 
Type of sprightly innocence ! 
Many a flower may brighter shine, 
And with colouring scent combine— 
None, tho', we should miss like thine ! 
“ England s field-flower ” be thou styl'd ! 
Who but loves thee from a child ? 
Rich in recollections gay 
Of many an early happy day 
When with nurse we lov'd to stray, 
Gathering flowers in magic May. 
Thee the sweet poetic throng 
Still have honour'd with their song : 
Chaucer in his antique verses 
As his favourite thee rehearses ; 
Not unnoted is thy name 
In Shakspeare’s page of peerless fame* 
Charm'd, inspir’d, young Milton eyed 
“ Meadows trim, with Daisies pied ” ; 
Caledonia’s ploughman-bardf , 
Mark’d thee, too, with fond regard— 
“ Modest, crimson-tipped flower " ; 
Wordsworth, in his museful hour, 
And Sheffield's poet, thee have sung ; 
With thy praise the land hath ruDg ! 
Faithful, constant, common friend, 
Thou dost all our walks attend ; 
Others meet us here and there— 
Thou art with us everywhere ; 
Floweret of the rounding year, 
Like sweet robin, ever near. 
Our fields to grace, our souls to cheer ; 
Therefore, with a heart sincere, 
We love thee, praise thee, Daisy dear ! 
VII.— Wood-Anemone (Anemone neinorosa). 
Beautiful tho' simple flower, 
Blooming in sweet spring-tide hour, 
Sno w-white beside Primrose pale, 
Thee, Anemone, we hail ! 
Hail thee with a heartfelt zest, 
Such as Rugby’s sage express'd— 
Such as thrill d in Arnold's breast. 
Not less elegant than those 
Which the cultur’d garden shows, 
Glowing on the florist’s view, 
Richly red or purple blue : 
Virtue thus in lowly cot 
Shines as in her loftier lot 
" Wind-flower ” well belongs to thee. 
Grecian name, Anemone! 
Free and full thy flowers unclose 
When the breeze around thee blows : 
Thus our spirit's heaven-born flower, 
Drooping oft in sunny hour, 
Spreads and brightens, if the gale 
Of adversity assail. 
— Titos. G rinfie d, M. A.. 5. Ellenborouglt Park, Weston- 
super-Mare, April 12 th, 1896. 
“ Hamlet , Act iv, Scene v. 
tRobert Burns. 
“ CAN SLUGS THINK ?” 
Everyone who is conversant with the habits of the 
slug must have observed, if it once attacks a plant 
or flower, how readily it manages to find its way 
back to repeat the work of demolition again and 
again. This has occurred so often in my own 
experience with respect to the common slug, 
Limax cinereus, that I cannot help thinking this 
species at least possesses a much higher degree of 
instinct, intelligence, or whatever it may be called, 
than would be expected in so lowly a creature. 
Whether all slugs manifest a similar disposition to 
sagacity I am not prepared to say. This slug is an 
abundant pest in this quarter. It is, in fact, the 
prevailing species in the district, and when it finds 
its way into a vinery, greenhouse, or stove it 
becomes a hopeless business to get clear of it again. 
In such quarters it seems to thrive both in size and 
numbers. The warmer conditions evidently tend to 
contribute to this state of matters, for they are 
apparently in every way congenial to the require¬ 
ments of a healthy prolific slug. In old houses 
where the nature of the woodwork affords a safe 
retreat to it, and an impregnable cover for the hatch¬ 
ing of its eggs, the mischief it accomplishes is 
simply incalculable. In such places this obnoxious 
slug will be found at all seasons, and in all stages of 
development, from the tiny mite which has newly 
sprung from the bonds of incubation to the monster 
of six inches or more. 
They have a special predilection for Orchid 
flowers and young Adiantum fronds. And what 
they do not consume of whatever they attack is so 
besmirched with slime as to make it practically use¬ 
less. Somehow, they always make a hit on the most 
valuable plant or flower in a collection. They dis¬ 
play an obvious acuteness in always distinguishing a 
delicate and toothsome morsel, from a subject that 
is not. Of course, there is nothing very mysterious 
in this fact, for it may be contended with some 
reason that the slugs came to know of a special 
thing purely by accident, though, perhaps, chance 
favours the creature oftener than the laws of 
accident would endorse. 
It is, however, with regard to visitations made 
night after night to the same scene, that I am more 
interested. Are these repeated visits made by the 
same slug, and if so, how can such a phenomenon be 
explained ? I am sorry that I have not yet been 
able to satisfy myself that the same slug repeats its 
visits to the same plant, though I feel at the same 
time almost convinced of the probability. Even 
should this be proved beyond a doubt, the only con- 
sistant explanation would be that the slug was 
guided entirely by the organs of smell. Yet it is 
difficult to conceive how, after a lapse of fourteen or 
more hours, a slug can creep a considerable 
distance to the plant by the guidance of smell alone. 
I am not satisfied that smell is altogether the prime 
agent of guidance. And, moreover, to attribute to a 
slug of all creatures any measure of reflecting powers 
is admittedly conferring an honour where it is least 
merited. The presumption, nevertheless, in favour 
of a species of intelligence, sufficient to conjoin our 
visit with another is fairly strange, and indicates 
that slugs must have rather good memories. 
Out of many instances suggestive of the thinking 
capacity of the slug I may state the following, 
which has recently come before my notice. It is a 
beautiful illustration of the slug's instinct, and not 
unworthy of the attention of your " Darwinian " 
readers. In a forcing case, apparently secure from 
the intrusion of slugs, I had a few 1 pans of Lobelia 
cuttings. 
One morning I discovered that a slug bad 
got inside. How this occurred, at the time, was aa 
insoluble problem. The following morning I found 
to my regret that the slug was there agaiu It is 
useless describing the fruitless efforts which were 
expended both in searching for the depredator, and 
securing against its return, for they were so much 
lost time. On the same night, when passing the 
frame in question, it occurred to me that I would 
have a look inside. The secret was at last dis¬ 
covered. The slug was at the time forcing itself in 
between the sash and the frame, notwithstanding 
the weight. I put an end to its plundering career, 
and no slug since has touched the Lobelia. It is fair 
to conclude that this slug was on its third visit to 
the frame, and the one resp-insible for all the 
damage. The distance from the frame to its place 
of concealment would be a considerable one for a 
slug.— Gamma, Edinburgh. 
