242 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND 



l Here's fine nosegays ripe strawberries 

 With ready pickled salad also 

 Here's collyflowers and asparagus 

 New prunes twopence a pound 

 Let none despise the merry merry cries 

 Of Famous London Town. 



" Here's cucumbers spinage and frinch beans 

 Come buy my nice sallery 

 Here's parsnips and fine leeks 

 Come buy my potatoes ho ! 

 Come buy my plumbs and fine ripe plumbs 

 A groat a pound ripe filberts ho ! 

 Here's corn-poppies and mulberries 

 Goose berries and currants also 

 Fine nectarines peaches and apricots 

 New rice two pence a pound 

 Let none despise the merry merry cries 

 Of Famous London Town." 



,' These cries become more rare in London every year, but 

 the tune sung by lavender-sellers must be familiar to all who 

 are in town at the end of July. The following words I wrote 

 down from the dictation of a little boy, who was singing them 

 and selling lavender in Eaton Place, July 21, 1900 : 



" Come buy my blooming lavender, 

 Sixteen branches for a penny. 

 All around the square I go 

 Crying out sixteen branches a penny. 



" Now's the time to scent your kerchief 

 With my blooming lavender. 

 Buy it once, you'll buy it twice ; 

 It makes your clothes smell very nice." 



