MONREITH 



grower, one of the largest in the trade, Mr. Wilks instituted 

 research into the cause, and came to the conclusion that 

 the irritant in the sap of the daffodil is not a true poison 

 at all, but that the mischief is caused by small crystals of lime, 

 called raphides, of which the sap is full. He recommends 

 that people employed to gather daffodils should oil their 

 hands before setting to work, and rub tallow under their 

 finger-nails." 



Monreith has been in possession of the same 

 family for 427 years. That it has been for a 

 considerable part of that period a home of flowers, 

 there is the evidence of a fine piece of tapestry 

 to prove. This was the work of the wife of the 

 third baronet (he died in 1771), who set herself to 

 depict in applique the flowers growing in the castle 

 garden. They were laid on a maroon ground 

 to serve as a carpet literally a parterre for the 

 castle drawing-room. A laborious task, but evi- 

 dently a labour of love, so faithfully are the 

 dame's favourites set out in a design of remarkable 

 grandeur. A large basket of flowers forms the 

 centre ; smaller groups fill the four corners, and 

 round the carpet runs a continuous wreath looped 

 with ribbons. 



Stowed away in a lumber room, this fine piece 

 of work was unearthed thirty years ago. Moths 

 had played havoc with the ground cloth, but the 

 needlework was almost intact, and the colours 

 fresh : skilful hands were set busy relaying the 

 flowers upon cloth of an old gold colour, and the 



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