CHAPTER VII 



Daffodils 



THE people who talk about flowers may be roughly 

 divided into two classes, those who ask and those who are 

 expected to answer the question, " What is the difference 

 between a Narcissus and a Daffodil ? " 



I appear to belong to the latter division, and answer, 

 " None whatever, one being the Latin and the other the 

 English name for the same plant " ; but the other class 

 are never satisfied therewith, for they want a difference, 

 and like a certain fretful baby we have all seen pictures 

 of won't be happy till they get it. So I take down 

 Parkinson's Paradisus and, having impressed them with the 

 antiquity and authority of that great man, read them his 

 words of wisdom, for he writes : " Many idle and ignorant 

 Gardeners . . . doe call some of these Daffodils Narcisses, 

 when, as all that know any Latine, that Narcissus is the 

 Latine name and Daffodill the English of one and the same 

 thing ; and therefore alone, without any other Epithite 

 cannot properly distinguish severall things." If that does 

 not subdue their inquisitive spirit Gerard may be called as 

 second witness to testify that " Generally all the kindes 

 are comprehended under the name Narcissus, in English 

 Daffodilly, Daffodowndilly, and Primerose Peereless." 



Clearly these two great fathers of English gardening 

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