THE DAFFODIL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 242, 26 September 1922, Page 7

THE DAFFODIL.

(By AOTEA, in Christchurch “Sun.”) The daffodil has quite taken its place as the chief of all our spring flowers, and it is well worthy of the honour, also, of more extended planting. It has been grown as long back as there is any record of gardens or gardening, but up to within a comparatively few years the varieties grown were those that had been found growing wild. Notwithstanding this, there was a very large variation in form and colouring* and the fact that the daffodil will hybridise readily between the species, and then further crossfertilise between the varieties readily in a wild state, was not generally known, and led to a large number oi hybrids and their varieties being counted as species. In 1810 Deap Herbert, a botanist of some celebrity, who had consider able doubts as to the ground in whicl these species had been formed, under took a number of experiments by crossing the various distinct species and kinds. He found that he could, almost at will, breed a large percentage of those that had been accounted species. His work gave the impetus to several others who took up seed-ling-raising with a vivw to improvint the natural wildings, and this work has been increasing as the daffodil a favourite garden flower in the fiisi instance—became better known and more appreciated through its improved varieties. UNCOUNTABLE VARIETIES. The number of varieties now in cul tivation is almost as uncountable as the sands of the sea shores, but, even so, there is still room for better vaneties at the top, and still plenty ol chances for the amateur gardener who is interested in the daffodil to raise some fine varieties for his own garden and for wider distribution as the bulbs increase. It is a most interesting pursuit, the raising of new plants, whether it be the daffodils or some other favourite flower. Nearly all our splendid fruits, vegetables. and flowers have been evolved from what we shout'd look upon now as almost worthless weeds, but they had the germ of value in them that has been brought io the present perfection by a continous striving for countless generations after something better. There is not an amateur gardener who cultivates his own small plot that cannot do something towards continuing the advance, ’fheraw'Jittie doubt, taking into consideration the large quantities of plant seeds sown annually, the most of which is grown and harvested under conditions of high cultivation, that among that large quantity there will be some plants that are a distinct, advance in some of the better qualities of the kind. It has been by selecting such plants and propagating them, either by seeds, division, or grafting, that very much of the advance made has been gained. VALUE OF PATIENCE. But to return to the daffodil, which is one of the most interesting of plants that can be taken up by the amateur who is seeking for a gardening hobby and is prepared to exercise a little patience. Patience is certainty necessary at the outset, as the seedlings will not bloom (except occasionally) until the fourth year from sowing the

seed, but after the fourth year, if some seed has been sown each succeeding year, there will be no further wait, as there will be a continuation of seedlings to flower. If the best results are desired, crosspollination of the flower which is to be the seed-bearer must be made, but this entails a considerable amount of detail to lie recorded. The seed from each cross must be kept separate and sown and labelled carefully, and a record of the pollen and seed parent kept for future reference. If this should entail too much labour, then a good deal may be done by gathering the naturally-fertilised seed of selected varieties, which may either be kept separate or may be mixed and sown together, but it is much more interesting to watch the variation in the seedlings as they open. HYBRIDISATION AND POLLINATION. The distinction between hybridisation and cross-pollination is, that in the first the cross is between two distinct species, such as crossing a trumpet variety with a variety of N. poeticus, or either of these with N. triandrus. Cross-pollination is the fertilisation of varieties of the same species or of the various varieties of previous crosses. If a flower of a daffodil is examined there will lie found a central style with the stigma at the top. This arises from the ovary, which is situated just below the flower. Around ;his are the six anthers which contain the pollen, and which are generally m a ripe condition to shed the pollen is soon as the flower is open. Unless :hese anthers are removed before the pollen is free, the flower will become self-fertilised, and any artificial pollination afterwards will not be effective. CROSS-POLUNISING. To prevent the flower from being self-fertilised the anthers must be relieved either a pair of sharp-point-ed scissors or by a pair of fine pliers. As soon as the flower is quite fully jxpanded the pollen from the flower af a variety chosen for the 6ross should oe taken on a soft camel-hair brush md dusted lightly on the stigma. Th© stigma is most receptive during the orenoon of a bright, sunny day. To make doubly sure that the cross has >een made effective it is best to polinate the stigma on the following norning with pollen from the same flower as previously used, or another one of the same variety. When making differing crosses it is most necessary that the brush shall be made quite fret* from the pollen of he previous cross, or the results will becoir.e very mixed. It is not advisable for a beginner to make too many experimental crosses especially if room for planting out the results of the seedlings is at all limited. It will be best to limit the varieties, at least to commence with, to three or four kinds that will In? most likely to give good results, such as King Weardale Perfection. Mme de Graaff Minnie Hume. Princess Mary. Duke of Bedford, Horace. and Coronet. Minnie Hume crossed with any Peeticus variety will give a good percentage of fine Lcodsii varieties, while Princess Mary crossed with any Poeticus will give some fine Barriis. with bright, coloured cups. NAME THE CROSSES. After crossing variety a stake should be placed to it and the flower stem tied up securely. It will also he necessary to attach a label to the flower stem, giving the cross maje. As soon as the seed-pod turns yellow and commences to open, it should be picked and put into a paper bag and placed where it can dry out. When all the seed is gathered it should l>e sown fairly thickly in a prepared bed of fine soil. If the soil is stiff lor clayey, some sand should be mi ted with it to make it free and porous. The drills need not be more than four inches apart, and the seed should he covered an inch deep. The sooner the seed is sown after if is ripe the better it will germinate. If the seed is kept until the autumn before sowing, probably a quantity will remain dormant all the next season and come up the spring following. Keep the bed free from weeds at all times, and, after the seedings are up, keep the ground loose between the drills. After the second year’s growth the little bulbs which will be found at varying depths should be lifted carefully. The bulbs should then be planted* out on good ground that has had no fresh manure dug in for some time previously, in drills twelve inches apart putting the bulbs about three inches apart. They will remain here When flowering commences they until they have all flowered. should be watched, and any flower that shows an advance in merit should have a label placed to it, with the ci oss and the type of flower marked on it. Then, when the bulbs are ripe, these selected bulbs should be lifted and planted out in a separate bed Any flower that shows retrogression. which a number will surely do, should be dug up at once and destroyed. This will give increased room for’ the more promising ones