THE NAMES OF FLOWERS 21 



ing papers if they would use English names as much 

 as possible, giving the botanical name where there 

 is any fear of ambiguity, and, even when the bo- 

 tanical name is the one in general use, adding the 

 English name, if one exists. By this means English 

 names in common use might be maintained, some 

 that have fallen out of use might be revived, and some 

 newly invented for new flowers might gain currency. 

 The nurserymen also might help, by always adding 

 English names, where they exist, to the botanical 

 names in their catalogues. Some of them already 

 do this, and in some gardening books a praiseworthy 

 effort is made to keep up the old English names, and 

 even to introduce new ones. Mr. Robinson, for in- 

 stance, in his "English Flower Garden," always 

 gives an English name when he can, even to newly 

 introduced plants and to different species; sometimes 

 by the mere process of translation, which is often the 

 only one possible. For instance, he calls Sempervivum 

 arenarium the Sand Houseleek; and there is no reason 

 whatever why it should not be generally known by 

 that name, or why Arenaria montana should not be 

 called Mountain Sandwort, or Tigridia the Tiger 

 Flower. When entirely new names have to be in- 

 vented, it is a more difficult matter. People are apt 

 to be shy of using sentimental names, however pretty, 

 unless they are quite familiar, like Forget-me-not; 

 and it is difficult to find a descriptive name for a pretty 

 flower without making it a little sentimental. Noth- 

 ing could be prettier than the name "Angels' tears" 



