Narcissus and Daffodil

Figure 18.3 Daffodil picking: gathering up the bunches.
Harmful effects of Narcissus 401
On the mainland daffodils are cropped mainly in the January to March period.
The flowers are picked by one hand and transferred to the other until ten have
been collected. The ends of the stems are then levelled against the palm of the
hand and the bunch is secured with an elastic band from a supply kept in a pot at
the waist. The picker straddles the row of plants and works along it, laying the
bunches down in groups of three or five for collection on return. Working back
down the row, the bunches are gathered in the crooks of the arms and under the
chin and armpits (Figure 18.3), to be deposited in a personally labelled tray. This
is a rapid procedure, as an experienced operator is capable of collecting in excess
of 2000 bunches per day (20 000 flowers). The money earned is related directly to
the number of bunches picked. Workers are told at the beginning of the day the
price payable per bunch. They therefore have a financial incentive to hold on to as
many bunches as possible. This practice is reflected in the more extensive distribution
of the rash.
On the Isles of Scilly, the earlier flowering Tazetta varieties are grown, cropping
from October onwards. The method of flower picking is the same as on the
mainland, but the flowers are carried by tractor to sheds for bunching and
packing. The pickers are paid an hourly rate, rather than by the number of
bunches gathered, and do not need to hold large quantities of flowers in close
bodily contact. On the Islands, the primary daffodil rash is therefore usually
confined to the hands and wrists. In both groups of workers, secondary rash may
develop on the face (Figure 18.4), or on the scrotum in men as a result of transfer
of daffodil sap by direct contact with the hand while urinating.