Daffodils 



for an instance), but is ignored by the Oxford Dictionary, 

 and as I have found no evidence for it beyond bare asser- 

 tions, this time I thankfully avail myself of the authority 

 of the great work. Again, that Saffron-lily has given us 

 Daffadowndilly, and thence Daffodil, is argued by Dr. Prior, 

 but he confesses the explanation is merely conjectural, and 

 wants the test of historical evidence. It is a modern idea, 

 though, that a Daffodil must be yellow, for both Parkinson 

 and Gerard speak freely of white Daffodils, in describing 

 N. poeticus, both double and single, and also for polyanthus 

 varieties, so there is no reason why we should not talk of 

 Poet's Daffodils instead of using the Latin name Narcissus 

 for that group or we might revive Gerard's name Narcisse 

 for them, and Parkinson's name Peerless Daffodil seems 

 to me a charming one for the Incomparabilis section, 

 better than the contemporary ones " nonpareille," " none- 

 such," and " incomparable," and the hideous modern nick- 

 name of " incomps " one often hears from the lips of Daffodil 

 growers. Then the scientific name Narcissus might be 

 reserved for botanical purposes, when the species or their 

 wild hybrids and varieties are referred to. 



Do not expect me to write of the Daffodils of this 

 garden as an expert. I sit among the great of the 

 Daffodil world, and see their latest productions, but the 

 garden knows them not. Birds must be of a feather to 

 flock together, and Croesus and White Emperor consort not 

 with paupers. So I have no list of latent novelties to make 

 your mouths water, only some few that, though neither 

 new nor worth double figures in pounds, yet are beautiful 

 enough to be worthy of a sentence or two. Many are 

 mementoes of kind friends and their richly-stored gardens. 



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