Eighty-five species; all hardy bulbs, including the Daffodil (N. Pseudo-Narcissus); Two-coloured {N.bicolor); White, or Poet's Narcissus (N. poeticus); Hoop-petticoat Narcissus (N. bulbocodium); Small autumn Narcissus (AT. serotinus); Polyanthus Narcissus (N. tazetta); Jonquil (N.jon-quilla); and Paper Narcissus (N. papy-raceus); with varieties of each.

Characteristics Of Excellence

Mr. Glenny says - "that in the Narcissi the flowers should be circular and large, they should expand flat, and the cup which is in the centre should stand out well. The petals should be thick, smooth, firm, free from notch or roughness on the edges, and have no points. The bunch of flowers should not consist of less than seven; the footstalks should be of such length as to allow the flowers to touch each other at the edge, and present an even, though rounding or dome-like surface, with one bloom in the middle, the other six forming a circle round it. The stem should be strong, firm, elastic, and not more than ten inches in length. The leaves should be short, broad, and bright, and there must not be more than one flower stem to a show flower. If the variety be white, it should be pure; and the yellow cup should be bright. If the variety be yellow, it cannot be too bright. Double flowers, and Narcissi of numerous kinds, with only one or two flowers in a sheath, will not be considered subjects of exhibition, except in collections of forced flowers." - Gard. and Prac. Flor.

Propagation

The propagation of all the Narcissi is effected principally by offsets; also by seed, to obtain new varieties.

By Offsets

All the sorts increase plentifully by offset bulbs from the main roots annually; and the proper time for separating them is in summer, when they have done flowering, and the leaves and stalks begin to decay.

By Seed

It will be often six or seven years before the seedlings will flower in perfection. The seed ripens in June or July, which sow soon after in pots or boxes of light rich earth, half an inch deep, then place them in a full sunny situation for the winter, allowing them shelter in severe frosts. In March or April they will come up. Give frequently sprinklings of water, and, occasional shade from the midday sun at their first appearance; and as the warm season advances, move the pots to an eastern aspect, to have only the morning sun till ten or eleven o'clock. In June or July the leaves will decay, when stir the surface lightly, and clear off the decayed leaves, all weeds, and mossiness; then sift a little fine mould over the surface, half an inch thick, repeating it in October. Let them remain till the third year, treating similarly; and in the third summer, at the decay of the leaves, take up the bulbs, and separate the largest, which plant in beds, in rows, five or six inches asunder and three deep; and the small bulbs you may scatter, mould and all, on the surface of another bed, and cover them two or three inches deep with fine earth, which after a year's growth may be transplanted in rows as above.

In these beds let the seedlings remain till they show flowers, and after the second year's bloom you will be able to judge of their properties, when mark the good sorts, and manage them as directed for the blowing roots.