APRIL 49 



I know what white, what purple'fritillaries 



The grassy harvest of the river-fields 



Above by Ensham, down by Sandford yields. ' 



Thyrsis. 



In some meadows, especially near Cricklade, nearly all 

 the flowers are white, and near Cirencester a curious 

 variety has been found, in which the white flowers and 

 the leaves and flower-stalks are so twisted as to have 

 gained for the plant the name of F. contorta. As a 

 garden-flower for April the fritillary is a most desir- 

 able plant ; however much it spreads and increases it 

 never is in the way : and the leaves and flower-stems 

 die away so soon after the flowering is over that it 

 may be allowed to remain undisturbed in any garden. 



The other fritillary of which I must speak as one of 

 the grandest of April flowers I might almost say one 

 of the grandest flowers of the year is the great fritil- 

 lary, the Crown Imperial. It is a native of Persia, 

 Afghanistan, and Cashmere, and was introduced into 

 England from Constantinople about the middle of the 

 sixteenth century, and at once took its place as the 

 ' Emperor of Flowers ' (Chapman), as the plant which, 

 ' for its stately beautifulnesse, deserveth the first place 

 in our garden of delight' (Parkinson), and George 

 Herbert called it 'a gallant flower, the Crown Imperial.' 

 Perdita put it among her choicest garden flowers ; 

 Gerard described it at great length, and with all terms 



D 



