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t GROUP OF DAFFODILS, 
LL 
Daffodils. 
Daffodils are first cousins to Snowdrops 
and Snowflakes, and this family relation- 
ship is evident in the bulbs, leaves, flowers 
to some extent, and fruits; the three genera 
are also alike in their habit of flowering 
early in the year. The character which 
distinguishes all Daffodils from other 
hardy flowers is the corona or crown, 
formed by the prolongation of the tubular 
portion of the flower. 
Many people are perplexed as to the 
difference between a Narcissus and a 
Daffodil. It consists chiefly in the num- 
ber of flowers born on astem. Narcissus 
is the family name, Daffodil the title 
‘given given to a section of the genus in 
very early times, or gardening pur- 
poses, Narcissus is the name by which 
those bulbs are known which have many 
‘flowers on one stem, like the Polyanthus: 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Daffodil refers to those bulbs which us- 
ually bear but one flower on each stem: 
In this State the bunch-headed Narcissus 
bloom before the Daffodil, Of them the 
best known are Paper-white, Paniz-zianus 
(a small but beautiful fower), Dubius, 
Grand Soliel d’Or, Maximus, and Double 
Roman. They succeed in any ordinary 
garden soil, and once planted take care of 
themselves. The most desirable are those 
in which the perianth segments overlap 
each other, as in Grand Soleil d’Or. A 
common but less valuable type has the 
segments divided and the petals pointed, 
while they are limp and flabby in tex- 
ture 
The correct time to plant Daffodil seeds 
is early in December. Put themin pans 
n the shade, and keep them moist not 
wet. Use a loose mould of decayed vege- 
table matter and sand. Plant out in the 
early Spring, say in August. 
GROUP OF NARCISSUS TAZETTA, 
December 1, 1908 
The cultivation of Daffodils generally 
present no difficulties, All the sorts hore 
named are easily kept from year to year, 
If grownin beds or borders they should be 
lifted every second year or so, and éven 
when lifted every year to make room for 
summer flowers, they do not suffer if 
treated with proper care. Bulbs grown in 
cluinps in borders may remain in the soil 
till the leaves wither, when they should be 
lifted with a fork, the clusters broken into 
single buds, and then replanted again, 
The top of the bulb should be three inches 
' below the surface of the soil. 
The Daffodil is essentially an English 
flower, in the same sense as cricket and 
football are English games. In Australia 
and New Zealand, in Canada and the 
United States, Daffodils rank with the 
most favoured of flowers, whereas in 
Continental countries, if 
Holland, they find 
admirers. 
we 
scarcely 
except 
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