Gerbera Daisies 
The Gerbera daisy is one of the world’s aristocrats of cut flowers. Successful 
culture of the Gerbera daisy is the assured mark of an accomplished horticulturist. 
It is a popular cut flower in the American florist trade, always suited to the need, 
either for a little nosegay for a tearoom table, or a presentation bouquet for the 
president’s lady. 
Gerberas are perennials with long leaves something like dandelions. They grow 
in semi-arid parts of South Africa, and like a warm, fertile, rather alkaline, well- 
drained, substantial loam. It must be moderately rich, and they require a good part 
of humus in the mixture. Tankage, now almost unobtainable, suits them very well 
as a fertilizer, but any good mixture will do. They can be grown in beds, boxes or 
pots in the green house. 
In the South where frosts are not severe they are excellent garden plants for 
winter and spring bloom. They prefer some shade, but do fairly well in full sun with 
adequate watering and in moderately heavy soil. The foliage is subject to damage by 
fungus blights and rusts, and thrips are the main insect pests, and these can be con- 
trolled by spraying. 
We offer plants of our fine florist strain, 25c each, $2.50 per dozen, single 
type; 50c each, or $5.50 per dozen for double Gerberas, as available. 
Narcissus 
This year we are introducing a new variety of Poetaz Narcissus for trial in tne 
lower South and for forcing under glass. It is the variety “‘Cragford,”’ originated 
back in the 30’s by the late P. D. Williams, English daffodil hybridizer, and it re- 
ceived the First Class Certificate award from the Royal Horticultural Society in London 
early in 1947. 
“‘Cragford’’ is the result of a cross between one of the Tazetta or Polyanthus 
varieties, and a red or orange-cupped Poeticus type. The exact parentage has been 
lost, but in the cross the flower type of the Poeticus came through with the early 
flowering and forcing qualities of the Polyanthus (Paper White etc.) 
The description of this interesting flower lists it as having a pure white peri- 
anth, with orange red cup. It can be forced in the greenhouse in the North in Dec- 
ember and January, and presumably outdoors in warm climates similarly in the dead 
of winter. However, this last remains to be tried, as very few have been given a 
proper garden test in America. Possibly our bulbs are the first grown in the 
Southern United States. 
The present main stock of the bulb is in the hands of a Holland firm, who 
have won considerable fame for this variety by their exhibitions of splendid forced 
specimens at various European winter flower shows. There is a photograph of a group 
of the Cragford variety forced for a recent Holiand winter flower show in the August 
1948 issue of the RHS Journal. 
We are offering this novelty in round bulbs this season @ $1.50 each. Only 
a few left at press time so please do not be disappointed if sold out. 
Also we have a stock of the beautiful ‘Pink Daffodil,’’ Mrs. R. O. Backhouse, 
for late winter flowers under glass or in the Northern garden in spring. These are 
not recommended for the Lower South without further trial. Price 35c each, $2.00 
per six. 
Also recommended for garden culture in the Lower South and the subtropics 
generally, and in the North for forcing and pot and bowl culture are the familiar 
Polyanthus varieties of Narcissus, Paper White, Grand Soleil d’Or, Chinese Sacred Lily 
and Grand Monarque. These are almost too well-known to require description. 
Price—strong bulbs, $1.00 per doz. 
Campernelle Jonquils, lovely golden, sweet-scented early spring flowers for the 
sub-tropics, one of the few Narcissus varieties we can unhesitatingly recommend for 
the Lower South where the giant trumpet daffodils are not ‘‘at home.’’ They are 
also hardy in the North. Single and double types, strong bulbs, $1.00 per doz. 
The sweet little Jonquilla Simplex is also adapted to culture in gardens and 
pots in the lower South. These are also good in the North. Fifty cents the dozen. 
We are testing a number of varieties of old fashioned and modern daffodils, 
including jonquil hybrids, for the lower South. There are many old time kinds which 
have virtually naturalized themselves around old homesteads. 
