September  19,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
261 
Burbidgei  section  Vanessa  can  be  recommended,  as  it  is  one  of  the 
latest  to  bloom.  The  poeticus  Nacissi  are  best  represented  by 
ornatus,  recurvus,  and  plenus,  the  old  double  white.  The  whole  of 
these  require  high  cultivation,  and  transplanting  at  comparatively 
short  intervals  of  time,  the  single  sorts  failing  to  flower  when  left  too 
long  in  clumps,  and  the  double  form  producing  deformed  blooms,  or 
else  they  perish  in  the  sheath  and  do  not  expand. 
A  vast  number  of  Narcissi  are  now  cultivated  in  Scotland  for 
forcing  purposes,  the  bulbs  requiring  a  rest  of  three  to  four  years 
before  they  can  be  again  forced.  Under  the  best  conditions  I  do  not 
think  that  our  bulbs  can  compete  in  quality  with  those  grown  in 
Holland  for  forcing.  At  the  same  time,  they  form  fairly  good  material 
for  ordinary  purposes  of  house  decoration. 
Many  of  the  sorts  produce  much  finer  blooms  grown  in  grass  land 
than  they  do  in  cultivated  soil,  but  they  increase  lesB  rapidly. 
Several  thousands  of  the  double  white,  planted  in  grass  seven  years 
ago,  have  gone  on  improving  ever  since,  and  still  have  plenty  of  room, 
while  another  batch  planted  at  the  same  time  in  cultivated  ground 
became  so  closely  crushed  with  bulbs  as  to  largely  fail  last  year  to 
produce  perfect  flowers.  These  were  lifted,  sorted,  and  replanted  in 
the  same  ground  in  August,  1900,  with  the  aid  of  superphosphate  as 
a  manure  and  a  dressing  of  compost  in  spring,  with  the  result  that  few 
failed  to  bloom  satisfactorily  in  the  past  season. 
The  present  summer  I  lifted  another  batch,  treating  them  in 
exactly  the  same  manner,  with  the  difference  that  the  work  was 
carried  out  directly  the  foliage  yellowed.  Even  then  new  roots  were 
being  largely  produced.  I  mention  these  instances  to  show  how 
amenable  to  culture  even  such  an  easily  checked  form  as  the  double 
poeticus  is.  Generally  speaking,  most  people  would  feel  very  dubious 
about  replanting  on  the  same  spot,  but  they  do  not  resent  that,  given 
sufficient  applications  of  food  and  space  tor  the  roots  to  work  in.  Exactly 
the  same  conditions  are  seen  with  us  in  borders  where  mixed  plants  are 
arranged  for  effect,  and  in  which  many  clumps  of  Narcissi,  widely 
planted,  do  well  every  year,  though  the  ground  they  occupy  is  filled 
with  summer  and  autumn  flowering  subjects  after  the  Narcissi  have 
flowered.  Sufficient  manure  in  this  instance,  too,  is  the  chief  item  in 
the  management. — B. 
SPAEAXIS. 
IXIAS. 
its*  high  price  must  for  some  years  preclude  it  from  cultivation  by 
■others  than  Narcissus  specialists.  Weardale  Perfection  is  perhaps 
less  to  be  relied  on,  and  is  not  so  fine  a  form.  Glory  of  Leiden,  now 
comparatively  cheap,  is  a  strong  grower  and  increases  freely.  The 
bloom,  however,  is  not  without  a  coarseness  that  will  relegate  it  to 
market  work,  for  which  it  has  already  entered  on  its  career,  rather 
than  for  garden  culture.  The  lovely  Madame  de  Graaflf  also  has 
reached  a  price  within  the  reach  of  most  lovers  of  flowers.  It, 
however,  cannot  be  accepted  as  an  easy  grown  variety,  as  in  some 
soils  the  bulbs  dwindle  in  siz1,  and  the  blooms  when  produced 
become  reduced  in  a  corresponding  manner.  Dressings  of  phosphatic 
manures  are  most  helpful  in  keeping  up  the  stamina  of  healthy  bulbs, 
and  in  restoring  those  that  have  become  weakened.  Though  much 
smaller,  the  distinctively  pretty  Princess  Ida  is  making  way  for  itself, 
being  at  once  free  to  bloom,  hardy,  aud  not  slow  of  increase.  To 
watch  the  gradations  of  colouring  day  by  day  in  this  charming 
flower  constitutes  one  of  the  little  pleasures  of  the  time  of  the 
Daffodils.  Space  does  not  admit  for  a  more  lengthened  review  of  the 
trumpet  section,  but  before  passing  on  to  others  I  may  note  the  value 
of  the  improved  form  of  princeps,  not  to  good  as  Emperor  and  other 
g  ants,  but  still  a  sort  that  should  be  introduced  into  all  gardens 
where  Daffodils  aTe  largely  grown. 
Next  in  importance,  the  incomparabilis  section  waits  for  a  short 
note.  This  comprises  the  Old  Nonsuch  Narcisse,  and  is  a  deservedly 
popular  section.  The  plants  in  the  highest  degree  require  good 
cultivation,  which  includes  removal  and  replanting  at  shortened 
periods,  in  a  somewhat  strong  soil,  with  heavy  manurial  dressings 
annually,  applied  in  early  spring,  and,  very  particularly,  a  clear  space 
for  each  plant  to  develop.  Even  with  these  advantages  some  of  the 
kinds  are  really  difficult  to  keep  on  light  soils,  the  lovely  rose-flowered 
double  sulphur  being  the  least  easy  of  all  to  preserve  and  to  grow 
freely.  Princess  Mary  is  another  sort  that  sometimes  exhibits  a  great 
disinclination  to  gtow  satisfactorily ;  King  of  the  Netherlands,  on  the 
other  hand,  seems  one  likely  to  do  well,  as  also  Beauty,  a  strong  and 
lusty  sort,  and  Queen  Sophia  is  also  good.  Lulworth,  though  of  a 
healihy  growth,  is  rather  disappointing  when  in  bloom  ;  the  cup  seems 
to  me  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  perianth. 
Of  the  Leedsi  section  there  is  no  more  satisfactory  sort  than  Minnie 
Hume.  The  flower  is  well  known  for  its  beauty,  and  as  a  plant  none 
succeeds  better.  Mrs.  Langtry  possesses  equally  go  d  qualities,  grow¬ 
ing  well  and  increasing  rapidly.  Katherine  Spurrell,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  disappointing  in  its  growth,  and  several  others  cannot  be 
depended  on  to  gtow  and  bloom  Ireely.  Barri  conspicuus  is  undoubtedly 
the  finest  of  that  section,  and  one  of  the  best  kinds  of  all.  Of  the 
