KING  ALFRED. 
FLOWERS. 
rable  amount  of  moral  courage  to 
h  the  ground  covered  with  an  inch 
eter  down  to  20^  on  the  wall  4  feet 
■e  are  a  few  things  which  I  should 
I  brings  its  various  experiences,  and 
i^es  us  something  to  say.  By  spring: 
(  very  earliest — they  are  past  and 
ive  a  strong  ana  naruy  cousiuuiiuu,  uui  i 
int. 
l  were  bought  the  )’ear  before  last,  and  last 
hem,  and  then  selected  all  pieces  I  thought 
was  thoroughly  prepared  for  their  reception, 
:  being  placed  beneath  the  top  spit.  Quite 
no  roots,  so  it  was  something  like  inserting 
plant  grew,  which  I  largely  credit  to  the 
r  I  placed  in  a  position,, facing  due  south,  a 
and  in  this  frame  after  manuring  the  soil, 
hin  about  9  inches  from  the  top,  the  plants 
apart,  and  were  syringed  for  about 
ff  until  November,  when  they  were 
jht  drawn  up  and  down  to  admit 
possible.  The  roots  were  kept  on 
and  the  result  has  been  more  than 
,  Druidstone. 
ded  a  few  flowers  with  the  above 
inly  amongst  the  finest  we  have 
substance,  and  richness  of  colour, 
was  not  to  be  despised.] 
le  Daffodil  for  1899  has  only  just 
lowers  have  been  exhibited  at  the 
vers.  Naturally  they  have  been 
ler  than  quantity,  and  have  mostly 
pots.  A  few  flowers  from  out  of 
ley  will  now  rapidly  become  more 
ireh  28th,  the  Narcissus  Committee 
1  year,  and  before  rising  recom- 
ite  to  King  Alfred  (fig.  68),  which 
Ottery  St.  Mary,  Devon.  It  is  a 
?r,  partaking  somewhat  of  the 
ind  maximus,  and  will  be  welcomed 
1.  The  whole  flower  is  of  great 
ich  y  ellow  colour.  The  foliage  is 
Fig.  68.— NAECissrs  Kixg  Alfeed. 
ins  j'CLicuiaLa. —  iiiis  ueiiuiiiui  j.i  uao  uccn  a 
year,  and  I  find  from  commnnications  in  the  various  pa 
been  so  well  nigh  everywhere,  whether  from  distr  cts  wh 
has  been  saturated  with  moisture,  or  from  tho^e  where, 
eastern  corner  of  England,  there  has  been  a  deficiency  of  i 
fill  dyke  did  not  bear  out  its  character  this  year,  and,  sc 
been  a  dry  month.  iVhat  is  the  reason  then,  that  notv 
variation  in  climate  and  soil,  the  stme  thing  takes  plai 
earliness  and  lateness  in  flowering?  I  have  none  of  the  o 
this  Iris,  and  I  do  not  think  tliat  those  I  have  seen  ar 
cither  in  pots  or  the  open  border. 
Daphns  Mazerewn  album. — This  sweet-scented  plant  is 
rt  of  paternal  affection  for  the  lovely 
ief  one  in  my  garden — I  mean  Chionodoxa 
sixteen  years  since  I  was  the  means  of  intro- 
ure  in  England,  with  the  assistance  of  Mr. 
My  border,  of  about  36  feet  by  1  foot,  is  now 
bright  sun  which  we  have  had  lately  has  been 
it  has  not  the  deep  blue  of  some  of  our 
coerulean  blue  mixed  with  white.  C.  sardensis 
local  variation  ;  the  blue  is  deeper,  and  not 
ho  tvpe.  C.  gigantea,  or  grandiflora  as  it  is 
bears  out  its  title  by  the  larger  size  of  its 
e  sparingly  produced,  at  least  with  me,  there 
cf/im  cr.  fhnt.  if.  ia  nnf  mv  mind  nearlv  as 
attractive  of  early  flowering  dwarf  shrubs,  yet  one  does 
in  gardens.  The  normal  form  is  seen  in  many  a  cottage 
in  large  gardens  the  white  variety  is  scai’ce. 
Sco'.iopus  Bigelovi.—l  put  this  down  rather  as  one  of  t 
ought  to  be  in  flower  rather  than  the  one  which  actu 
attribute  this  to  the  drought  we  had  last  year,  and  I  fe 
advances  we  shall  find  many  a  gap  in  our  herbaceous  Loi 
from  the  same  cause.  I  notice,  for  example,  that  my  bor 
and  Polyanthus  is  in  a  very  crippled  condition.  My  g 
sunny  one,  and  Primroses  like  shade.  During  the  Ic 
experienced  last  year  the  plants  had  a  most  miserable  a 
thouo-ht  many  of  them  had  succumbed,  but  when  the  an 
