To those who love the beautiful, the daffodil should have a special appeal. It is a flower we cannot afford to do without — a flower which the ardent gardener, as soon as he sees it in some of its finer forms, feels he must grow.

Its numerous varieties supply a very real need in our gardens, and occupy a prominent position in the year's procession of beautiful flowers. Growing in the open ground, they delight us at a time when cut flowers from the open border are very scarce; many of them rival in beauty the choicest treasures of the greenhouse and hothouse; when cut, their flowers last in water for ten days or even more; and although there is a certain amount of truth in the objection that it is easy in a large collection to pick out a number of varieties which are rather similar in character, it is still easier to select a very large number which are far more distinct from each other than rose from rose or carnation from carnation.

To get the most vigorous plants, the most perfect flowers, the greatest possible increase of bulbs, you must plant early. As early as December a ring-like swelling may be seen all round the base of the bulb. This is caused by the effort of the young roots to start into growth, and it is Nature's warning to plant the bulbs as soon as you can if you do not wish them to lose in vigour. You should, therefore, order your bulbs early; and plant them early in January.