A Chat About Daffodils.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 August 1911, Page 2

A Chat About Daffodils.

WRITTEN FOR THE CHRONICLE,

BY UNIT. To most o.f us the daffodil is a comparatively modern flower; doubtless .hecarnse of the pi oat and successful efforts that have, in recent years, ; been made to improve and popularise the flower. Yet in reality it is a very ancient flower, a.nd could we hut trace its history away hack tkromgh the age* it would oe surrounded .by a halo of wildest romance. The narcissisi — the proper name -'are natural to many European countries as well n.s Groat Britain, and Konie of the varieties are oven now as they were when first discovered. The old-fashioned double daffodils, ami the " Anwls' Tears" (Triaiidrus), among others, aro original forms. The pungent perfume of some varieties i.s well known, yet this must be a very Weak remnant, for the ancient Romans used the flowers of Narcissi as a means of inflicting THE DEATH PENALTY on oriminale. I do not exactly know about criminals; those they wanted to kill, anyway. A regular form of execution was to compel the condemned person to inhale the perfume from a bunch of narcissi, and death quickly followed. The late Mr Peter Ban , probably did. more to popularise the narcissi than any other individual ; not so much in raiding new varieties <a-s in limiting up natural forms. .Mr Barr spent part of many years on the Continent of ICnnipe engaged .in this search. The. title "Angels' Tears" he found in Spain and Portugal, the hooppetticoat (Obvalaris), he also discovered, I believe. in England. Mi Barr visited all parts of the civilised world, even New Zealand, and. the writer h.iid the pleasure of a. visit fnom him, and an enlightening chat on horticulture, and on "daffs"

n particular. Mr Ban's name is perpetuated in a number of varieties, .as well as a 'whole section of Bairii's. The first printed notice of the daffodil (says Mr Wnvv). i* in "Parkinson's Paradistis, ■ published early in the 17th century, wherein is described

ABOUT 100 VARTKTTrcR. Hut in those days a ininber of bulbous plants were described as daffodils that are now known by other names, one of them being Sternbergia In tea, a very pretty crocus-like plant which I grew in AYellingtoii. A) hen these were deducted there remained three or four score true daffodils. It was early in the li>th century that the work of Jiy.bridization was seriously undertaken (by Salisbury, Ellieonib. Sweet Jungleheart. Haworth. Horl)ort and others) and from then the work has always gone on. Herbert was Dean of Manchester. His name is perpetuated by tho variety ''Dean Herbert," a yellow magnieoronati which T have- growing at Wcraron. Later (in quite recent times), came Leeds. Ha.ekhou.se, Hume, llurbidge, Nelson and others. Backhouse wns a hanker at Darlington, England. Leeds a. stockbroker in Manchester. Nelson was a clergyman, cousin of the great Lord Nelson. These names are all perpetuated by flowers. Burbidgo is known by the Burbidtsei section: very like the pheasant's eye, but with Inin-.ccor en p. Afr TCurhklg* was, J believe, cu.rator of the llotanic Gardens, Diililin. Now-a-days the number of varieties are so yreat that one must possess some hundreds of varieties to have a representative lot. CLASSIFICATION.

I do not propose to deal largely with this subject, though it is of interest, and generally but little understood. The flowers, as a wliol: , . aro variously spoken of as jonquils, daffodils and Narcissi. This is wrong--either name is wrong as a general term—though all are known scientifically as narcissus, .some, of which are daffodils, some jonquils, and some true narcissi. 'Tiro jonquils are easiest to distinguish, there arc not many -of them, they liave leaves like a rush, and t>l ie leaves are deep green in colour, whilst all others have flat leaves of a grey-green colour. Those having long trumpets are the true daffodils, and aro known as ningnicoronati. Those with no trumpet. I>ut only a flat crown, are the blue narcissus, known as parvi-coronati. Among these are the pheasant's eye, or nrots narcissus. Another group is intermediate, between those two. the result of either natural or nrtificial hybridization, in which the flat crown is olongntpd to about half tho length of t'ho porieinth. These are the Medii-oironati. The division of those main groups info minor so'-tions was a long arid arduous task. Largely it is the work of Mr Baker, of the Kow Herbarium, and Mr Peter Barr. Wiho is known as the king of classifiers, fn the Magni group, empress, prinf:pp>, corhiil-iiria. a.ro typical. C'orbularia is the hoon petticoat, also known as ahva.llaris and biilbioodiiiin. In the medii group, which is the largest of all. we . find Sir "Watkin and all the imomparahilis tribe, Barris, Odorus. and .several others. The ineomparabili.s are crossed hetween yellow trumpets and prets narcissus. T must not leave this part, however, before mentioning,

TWO OTHER SECTIONS in the same group, viz.. Leedsii, the silver star .narcissus. Those are most beautiful little flowers. A good handful of Leedsii type is like a bunch of silver hells. Then there is the Bnckhousei, among which is the old, hut ever beautiful 0 .J. Backhouse, with deep yellow cup with scarlet margin, creating a rich effect. Tn the parvi-coronati group are the true narcissus, the poet's daffodil, and the jonquils, as well as tho polyanthus—many flowered—or hunch flowered narcissus. as well as on© or two other minor varieties. SOME NOTES ON CULTIVATION.

Narcissi require good soil, yet it is recommended to avoid fres-ii'stable, manure. Mr Ban- advises that soil should be well manured and cropned with vegetables for a year. Tin's will take out the rankne-rs. but leaTo ihumus, wTiich will servo to hold moisture the following year. Planting should always be deep, yet depth must to some extent be" ?-egulated hv the character of the soil, deeper in light than in heavy soil. A good guide to deptfh i.s to make a ■hole of such depth that, if threebulbs flre placed' one on another, the top of the 'highest shall be level with the surface. The bottom bulb will then he in the right position, and the depth will vary according to the size of the bulbs. Most people have ■difficulty in flowering tho dionblo pheasant's eve—Poeticus ornatns flore pleno. This variety is the omega of tilie family just as paper white early snow flake is the alpha. Now. the double pheasant's eye requiVes considerable moisture and as it flowers late it doee not get it, particularly on dry soil. So to flower this va.rietv well voii must ensure tliat it gets albundant water at flowering time. -The test way is to plant in a position that is naturally moist. .The .object of

deep nknti.no; is to secure coolness at tin! roots; ami varies tlwrcfoie according to the nature of the. soil, 'film posticus and strong yellow' trumpet do best.<in rather heavy ana fairly rich foil. W.hite trumpet* and 'delicate yellow trumpets do Ik β-i in rather light soil inclined to dry, and a SLIGHTLY SHADY POSITTOX. such -as i)artly under the shadoof trees, or where the direct sunshine is on them only part of the day. Tin- hoop pctii'coat docs best in a boggy place. "Int-r-r alia. 1 may say that this was one of my favourites for pot work when [ had that sort of work to do. Many people will and do think that there is no particular Jiit uivcs-ary in growing narcissi. It is, however, one of those things whore only an accomplished grower knows what a lot there is to know, and Jesses a.nd failures that appear quite unavoidable, might .after'iilt 'he due to a lack of knowledge, and often enough Rood, thills disappear, and only the, roughest in'nature survive, almost nnlcTiown to the casual grower, all lor want nf care. -Again, how inanv roally aim- high, to got, the very' best P' Not very many .[ think and fewer .still know whether they get it. or not. tam always of opinion that, it is best to aim high, even if yon cannot, got quite aif yon want. are sure to got more pleasure from striving, because, you are almost sure to get better 'results for yonr labour. Small things lead to success, a .study of habits tOivlifs reasons, novar bo satisfied witli just doing a thing because so and «o tol'.l you to do it, but seek the reason. A ease in point to finish with. Yon .aro advised not to manure your narcissi in winter or spring, hut to do it when the bulbs are ripening. Why? dimply this! Tn THE FINISHED IUTT/B

are alt the potentialities. Tu that hull) are the. embryo (if flower and foliage. Nothing yon can do will improve. Crow two sots in pots, water one with liquid inamiro. the oilier with dear water only, and you will find th» manure will 11'ot have improved tho (lowers one jot. Their (jiiality wns already decided in the final building up of the bulb. Therefore yon are advised to give a. iop-dressinb; of bone-dust, basic slag, or sf able manure aftei flowering is over. Again ynu <are advised not to put such a tiling as stable mannre in iiiinu ,f li.'if° contact with the. roots. AY,!iy not? AYell, find it out for yourself. "Narcissus." according to Greek mythology, was the son of Oophissiis mid tho iivniph Liriope. He was a very coinelv yn'.iLh and very vain. As '.a punishment he was caused to full in. love with him=elf when he saw his reflection in wator. Ho died of lovesieknrss it is said, and the flower named after him sprung up on the place on winch he, died.