and dedicated to "Our Lady." In 

 Germany it is called " Joseph's staff," 

 and it is one of the many flowers which, 

 it is told, budded in Joseph's hand. 



That all these early flowers are 

 accredited with bringing misfortune 

 with them is shown over and over 

 again. In some parts of England no 

 young maid would pluck a daffodil; 

 it would be courting death. How 

 prettily Herrick tells it : — 



" When a daffodil I see 

 Hanging down her head towards me, 

 Guess I may what I must be ; 

 First, I shall decline my head ; 

 Secondly, I shall be dead ; 

 Lastly, safely buried." 



If one wishes for positive distraction, 

 it is to be found in the florist's cata- 

 logues, under the head " Daffodils." 

 They run riot through hundreds of 

 fascinating titles : the Circe, the Mary 

 Anderson, — why did they not call one 

 variety the Perdita ? — the Phcenix, 



lO 



