NARCISSUS SNOWDROP. Z83 



We used to love the Daffodils when we were little children, 

 and sing to them on their first appearing : 



" Daffydowndilly, just come from town, 

 With a yellow petticoat and a green gown." 



There are two other species of Narcissus ; one, the Poet's 

 Narcissus, has pure white petals, and a yellow nectary-cup in 

 the centre, with a crimped red edge. The whiteness of the 

 blossom is a puzzle to me, for in Ovid's story it is called 

 yellow. 



" Narcissus on the grassy verdure lies ; 

 And, whilst within the crystal fount he tries 

 To quench his heat, new heats arise ; 

 For, as his own bright image he surveyed, 

 He fell in love with the fantastic shade." 



So then, as the fable goes, he pines for the love of his own 

 shadow, and at length dies, and Echo and the nymphs mourn 



for him. 



" And now the sister nymphs prepare his urn; 

 "When, looking for the corpse, they only found 

 A rising stalk with yellow blossoms crown'd." 



Other classic authorities declare the Narcissus of fable to 

 be purple, so it is evident that, unless our colder climate 

 has bleached the blossom, our "Poet's Narcissus" cannot be 

 identical with that of Ovid. I have found the plant wild in 

 Durham, near the margin of a pond, and one specimen near 

 Eoss. It is a welcome flower in our gardens. 

 /* The Two-flowered Narcissus is even more fragrant than the 

 / Poet's Narcissus. It is cream colour, with a yellow nectary. 

 yj[ found it wild in the Gallow Fields near Eichmond. ~?/l* *} i^c/ 

 The Snowdrop family is the next in order. ryc) 6 



We have only one native member of it (Galanthus nivalis). 

 There is a copse near Eipon, called Skelcrooks, where Snow- 

 drops used to grow in great abundance. We made several 

 expeditions thither to get the bulbs to plant in our gardens, 

 and it was a regular spring treat to go and see the Snowdrops. 

 Westwood's idea of the mission of this lovely plant is very- 

 pretty : 



