NARCISSUS. 03 



They should, therefore, be planted with a liberal 

 hand, amongst the evergreens that are seen from 

 the principal walks and windows of the house, 

 avoiding, as much as possible, the appearance of 

 the gardening art, by clumps at set distances. They 

 should be scattered, as it were, from Nature's hand, 

 sometimes half obscured by shrubs, and at others 

 springing out of the green turf beneath the spreading 

 branches of some sable-clad tree ; for beauties but 

 half discovered are the most coveted, as the charms 

 of the moon's beams are increased by passing clouds. 

 Gerard tells us, as long back as 1597, that he 

 received the Double Yellow Daffodil from his friend 

 Hobinus, of Paris, and that the Yellow Spanish 

 Daffodil " doth likewise decke up our London 

 gardens, where they increase infinitely." Parkin- 

 son distinguishes it as the " Great Yellow Spanish 

 Bastard Daffodil," which is the largest of the genus, 

 and bears the most magnificent flowers. Curtis, 

 therefore, distinguishes it as the Great Daffodil, 

 Narcissus major. It bears its fine golden chalice 

 amidst petals of the same colour, on a stalk two 

 feet in height. This species of Narcissus succeeds 

 the common Daffodil in its time of flowering, being 

 generally from three weeks to a month later before 

 it bursts from its sheath, which is the involucre 

 called by botanists Spathc, Spatha ; and hence 

 Linnaeus formed his natural order Spathacea, for 



