“Isn’t it?” cried Eleanor. “I believe we know almost everything now about planting bulbs.”
“What kinds are we going to plant?” asked Mary Frances, looking at the large package the boys had brought with them.
They opened it and Bob began to speak: “Young ladies,” he commenced; then, “Oh, I say, Bill, I can’t come this ‘professor act.’ You’d better do the lecturing!”
“No, sir-ee!” declared Billy. “It’s your turn now. Go ahead.”
“All right, then,” replied Bob, laughing, “only don’t expect much erudite stuff from humble me—even when I read my notes.”
Then, opening his book, and clearing his throat, he started once more: “Listen, young ladies, and you will hear of—
The earliest Spring garden flower, sometimes coming literally out of the snow as early as February; but usually blooming in March. The blossoms are small, white, bell-shaped, not in the least showy. Only one who has come upon them unexpectedly blooming in his garden knows the thrill of pleasure which they bring. As they are small and inexpensive, plant a number of bulbs about two inches apart, to cover an irregular circle. Once planted they take care of themselves.
Near the Snowdrops, plant in the same way, a dozen Siberian Squills. Beautiful blue flowers, which will bloom perhaps while some of the Snowdrops are in blossom. Once planted, do not disturb.
Little stalks of tiny tight blue bells, or white, somewhat the shape of tiny fairy-folks’ grapes. Everyone should have a dozen or so of these pretty early Spring-flowering bulbs.
Everybody knows a daffodil, for breathes there a human being with soul so dead as not to feel warmth of heart at the sunshine glow of its yellow petals?
But not everybody knows the difference between daffodils and jonquils and narcissus.
The fact is, they are all sold by dealers under the name Narcissus.
Every Narcissus has a “cup and saucer” form. In some, the cup, or _trumpet_, is tall; in some, it is short; in others, it is double: and according to the shape of the cup, each Narcissus is named.
All dealers agree that the type with the double cup is called _daffodil_. It is not generally thought so attractive as the single sorts.
The single sorts are of the following different varieties of Narcissus: