10 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 1, 1900. 
NARCISSUS POETICUS IN MASSES 
seven (about the number of hours the sales last) we 
have 490,000, nearly half a million bulbs ! I started 
to reckon the exact total amount sold at last 
Monday’s audion, but wten I reached 43,456 in 150 
lots I despairingly and involuntarily turned to see 
how many more " lots ” there were to wade through. 
I only found a cool 3,674. 
In looking through the catalogue of the sale, one is 
at first puzzled to know why all the various genera of 
bulbous subjects are " mixed up,” as it seems. To 
begin with, there are a few lots of Tulips, followed, 
perhaps, by half a dozen lots of Hyacinths; then 
come Crocuses and Narcissi, only again to resolve 
upon some more Tulips. But it only requires a 
moment’s consideration to see that amoDg the fifty 
to seventy buyers, there are some who want only a few 
shillings’ worth of this, or that kind of bulb, and the 
buyer does not want to wait long for it either. And so 
the system of rotation is maintained through the course 
of the sale. The auctioneers are also good enough 
to provide large, medium, and small quantities of 
the different bulbs. Some of the lots are sold in 
thousands, but these are mostly the smaller bulbs as 
Scillas and Crocuses. Special named varieties of 
Hyacinths, Tulips, and Narcissi are put up in com¬ 
paratively small amounts, as, for instance, a lot of 
36, 75, 100, or 125, and so on. As a rule, it is only 
the best known, present day popular varieties of 
any of the larger bulbs that are offered. All 
gardeners know Norma, a single red; Robert 
Steyger, red ; King of the Blues, Grandeur 
a’ Merveille, Charles Dickens, and other varieties 
of Hyacinths; the Due Van Thol, Artus, 
Golden Crown, La Candeur, and similar popular 
Tulips; and such good things among Narcissi as 
Empress, Horsfieldii, Emperor, Golden Spur, the 
double Orange Phoenix, and many such as these. 
That is the style of those that are catalogued. Every 
bagful of bulbs is opened for inspection. A sample 
is rapidly spread upon a tray, and with but a glance 
at the samples (for nothing but good bulbs are sold) 
the bids mount one over the other, and there is 
no “ hicking.” Indeed, so fine are the sample bulbs 
that the stranger who did not know, might suspect 
that the best had been reserved specially for the 
public gaze. 
On this, the opening sale of the season, buyers: 
were numerous and keeo, the stock being all exceed¬ 
ingly fine. It is always well to buy bulbs early, it. 
pays in every way. It may be mentioned that some 
of the buying is done by commission. Anyone 
who may be unable to attend in person, if he or she 
applies for a catalogue before the date of the sale, 
and notifies Messrs. Protheroe & Morris of the lots 
they desire, these are left to the judgment of the 
commissary who bids to the figure he is allowed. It 
would be tedious to enumerate the average pi ices 
obtained for the lots, but it may be stated that they 
are exceedingly modest. The sales continue on set 
days for some weeks yet, during which time millions 
of bulbs'will find their way through various channels 
to gardens far and near, where their beautiful 
flowers will bloom to cheer the owners in the dull 
days of winter and early spring.— G. W. 
It is not everyone who can grow fields of the Poet’s 
Narcissus in private establishments ; but there can 
be no doubt of the effectiveness of great white sheets 
of any one of the numerous varieties of this Narcis¬ 
sus, either fully exposed upon the grass or under the 
shade of deciduous trees. During the flowering 
period the trees are, of course, leafless, so that the 
shade is reduced to a minimum at that period, but 
later on the trees assume their summer garb long 
before the foliage of the bulbs dies down. Great 
clumps of irregular outline add immensely to the 
appearance of a place, and add no extra expense to 
its upkeep ; for when once established they take care 
of themselves ; and while affording unlimited sup¬ 
plies of deliciously scented flowers for home 
decoration, enough is left to keep the grounds gay 
while the flowering period lasts. The Poet's Nar¬ 
cissus is well adapted for our climate, which 
accounts for its easy cultivation. The accompany¬ 
ing illustration (seep, n), lent us by Messrs. Hogg & 
Robertson, of 22, Mary Street, Dublin, shows what 
is possible in the sister isle, in parts of which a large 
number of different bulbs can be grown just as well 
as in Holland. Narcissi, including the Daffodils 
proper, and Tulips are the great specialities which 
GLADIOLUS COLVILLII THE BRIDE. 
The original Gladiolus Colvillii was described as a 
hybrid in Sweet's British Flower Garden, t. 155, and 
had rosy flowers, with a tint of violet or simply 
rosy-lilac. It is still cultivated by many growers, 
but by no means to the same extent as the pure 
white variety under notice, now almost universally 
known simply as The Bride. Many cultivators 
plant them freely in the open ground in England ; 
while we have seen some fine breadths of the variety 
in Guernsey. In Britain, however, the bulk of the 
gardeners in private establishments require the 
flowers for cutting or for conservatory decoration, 
A BULB SALE. 
All who are interested in, or connected with 
the production and selling of Dutch bulbs, are 
exceedingly busy at the present time. In Holland, 
that fertile and productive little country, thousands 
upon thousands of men and women are busy 
executing British bulb orders. The rush with them is 
now at its height; they will soon be freer. And on 
this, the British side of the water, the various 
agencies are active in their work of distribution to 
the gardens in almost every square mile of land 
comprised in these Isles. The *' Bulb Sale,” which 
I wish specially to mention on this occasion, was 
one—the first for the season—conducted by Messrs. 
and therefore grow the plants in pots, a method 
which is very convenient in many ways, and always 
safe and practicable. The stiff, slender stems and 
moderate sized, pure white flowers, gracefully poised 
on the upper portion of the stem, formed ample 
reason for the popularity of this particular 
Gladiolus. White flowers are always in demand, 
and in this we have a beautiful variation from other 
white flowers that bloom in spring. Friable or open 
but rich loam, with a sprinkling of sand is all they 
require in the way of compost; and if liquid manure 
is given from the time the flower stems commence to 
rise up, the plants will flower freely and strong. 
The accompanying illustration, lent us by Messrs. 
J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, shows the general 
aspect of the flowers admirably. 
Protheroe & Morris, at 67 and 68, Cheapside, 
London, E C. I need say little about this firm of 
horticultural auctioneers—it is an old established, 
well-known, and popular firm, and is likely to 
remain appreciated and prosperous. 
The sale took place last Monday, August 27th, 
and though regular readers of The Gardening 
World may recall some previous impressions of 
these sales published in these pages, there is still a 
newness about a bulb sale such as this, that urges 
one to chronicle some additional notes on the same 
theme. 
The one central point of wonder on every occasion 
is how enormous the quantities that are sold during 
the season must be. The average amount sold in 
one hour exceeds 70,000. And if this is multiplied by 
Copyrighted 
Gladiolus Colvillii The Bride 
By James Carter & Co. 
