Daffodils 



perianth segments and the fascinating backward curve they 

 take when fully blown, which added to the King Alfred type 

 of colouring urges one to send for this Doctor. Monarch 

 I like and I give him a little square kingdom of border. 

 Golden Bell is very effective for an irregular planting ; my 

 best group is among some species of Rosa, but I think its 

 wide-mouthed bell too heavy for cutting. On the other 

 hand, I can never quite forgive the long-nosed, drainpipe 

 effect of Mme. Plemp's trumpet, and even Dorothy Kings- 

 mill's lovely colouring is marred by the narrow mouth, and 

 I feel as if the glove-stretchers should be applied gently at an 

 early stage. On the other hand, in the Pyrenean wildling 

 N. muticus the use of Nature's scissors has balanced the 

 flower, and I like the stiff, straight trumpet. One of my 

 greatest treasures (I feel tempted to write " so far " as a 

 recurring decimal to guard it from ill for aeons) is the white 

 muticus. It has been found more than once in Pyrenean 

 pastures, but so far as I know the only stock in cultivation 

 came from a single bulb found by Mr. Charles Digby, the 

 Rector of Warham. It increased slowly with him, but his 

 generous spirit led him to give away a bulb or two when 

 offsets appeared, but nowhere have they proved very 

 vigorous, and many have died out. A promising youngster 

 came to me from Warham, and a happy inspiration caused 

 me to plant it on a northern slope of the rock garden. The 

 cool conditions and good drainage have suited it so far; and 

 I had seven of its lovely white blossoms this Spring, and 

 learning of its total disappearance at Warham had the 

 great pleasure of returning three bulbs to its kind dis- 

 coverer. White Minor is another of the very elect of the 

 earth : it was found in an old Irish garden, and has not gone 

 125 



