2 
BARR'S HARDY DAFFODILS, AND WHAT THE GARDENING PAPERS SAY OF THEM. 
BAR R’S 
HARDY DAFFODILS, DAFFADILLIES, DAFFODOWNDILLIES. 
Awarded the only Gold Medal of the Daffodil Conference, held in the Chiswick Gardens of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, April 16th to 18th, 1890. 
Extract from “ The Gardeners ’ Magazine,” 19tli April, 1890. 
The Editor remarks, “ Daffodils will never cease to give delight, will never cease to he collected, and cultivated, 
and exhibited, and talked about, for, with all our wealth of hardy spring flowers, this group of beauties is unequalled 
for splendour of appearance, and all the qualities of a spring flower that engage the moral nature in a Berios of whole- 
some sympathies, to augment the delight that begins in the eye. A purgation of the varieties might seriously check 
collecting ; but it would not diminish the beauty of these flowers, or impose a limit on the world’s enjoyment of them. 
“ An incident of recent occurrence, of which wo have cognizance at first hand, may be brought to bear On this 
grave question of reducing the number of varieties by severe selections. A gentleman universally respected for his 
knowledge, judgment, and taste in matters horticultural, demanded of a cultivator of Narcissi, assistance in making 
a selection of the very, very best, and the response was in a proper spirit. The cultivator consigned to one of his 
side pockets one hundred blank labels, the other saying that a dozen would be enough. When a variety had been 
solected as one of the very, very best, the name was written on one of the labels, and Ibis was consigned to another 
side pocket. The inspection and selection proceeded pleasantly ; the critical visitor iu the free flow of his admiration 
forgot the limits he had proposed, and thus many very best flowers were made a note of, and the labels passed at a 
regular pace from the right hand pocket to the left. But now the business halted, for the trader said a fresh supply 
of blank labels would be required, and must be sent for, the visitor having already selected one hundred of the very, 
very best, while a considerable portion of the collection still remained for inspection. The auti-climax tells its 
own tale, and may serve as a warning, that to select a dozen, or even fifty, of the very best Daffodils, is a business 
more easily talked of than performed.” 
Extract from “The Gardeners' Chronicle,” April 12th, 1890. 
“THE DAFFODIL KING.” 
“There will be few, if any, who will be disposed to question the right of Mr. Peter Bnrr fo this designation. 
Previous to his accession, Dalfodils were few in number. Gerard and Parkinson and Dr. Hill [Hale’s Eden] knew a few 
varieties. Later on Haworth entered the arena. Dean Herbert, whose merits as a botanist are bettor appreciated by 
his successors than they were by his contemporaries, experimented with them. Leeds and Backhouse and Nelson 
won repute a9 hybridists. But in spite of these labourers, those who can look back twenty or twenty-five years will 
remember that the sorts generally known and cultivated could bo counted by units, whereas scores or even hundreds 
would now be required. What originally induced Mr. Barr to take up the subject we do not know ; certain it is that, 
he has taken it up with the indomitable zeal of an enthusiast. Putting commercial considerations on one side, as of 
secondary importance, he, though a man of business, has allowed himself to bo governed by his love of Daffodils, and 
has spared neither labour nor money in their collection. He has made long and tedious journeys iu rough countries 
in quest of his favourite plants. On these occasions his couch has not seldom been the rock, the sky his coverlet. 
Nor has collection been his only aim. Study of their peculiarities has been, and is, a perfect passion with him. Obser- 
vation and research are continually increasing his store of knowledge, for truly nothing relating to Daffodils is 
foreign to Mr. Barr. 
“ Those who see the fields of Daffodils in tho neighbourhood of London, inspect the piles iu the markets or in the 
florists’ shops, or admire the displays made at tho several spring exhibitions, should remember with gratitude the 
name of Peter Barr. It is ho who created this now vast trade ; it is he who stimulated it ; it is he who has added so 
much to our enjoyment, and at a cost which permits tho masses to share the delight with their wealthier neighbours ; 
it is he who is constantly enriching our stores with new varieties raised by himself, or obtained from other sources. 
Others, besides himself, are now engaged in the trade, and are worthily following in his footsteps. Ear be it from us 
to disparage them, or to draw invidious comparisons. We simply note the fact that Barr was the first in the field, 
and that to his energy and zeal we owe the present vast extension of Daffodil lore, and the corresponding enhance- 
ment of love for the Daffodil. We do not know where Mr. Barr’s library may be— that he has access to one is quite 
obvious, for he quotes Parkinson and Gerard, Haworth, Herbert, and Baker, as if he were quite familiar with what 
they have written on the Daffodil. But, wherever his library may be, or whatever use he may have mado of literary 
material, it is quite certain that the plants themselves have formed the main study of his life ; printer’s ink and type 
have been useful accessories, but constant study in the field has been the chief source whence he has derived his 
knowledge. In spite of the now extremely numerous varieties of Daffodil and Narcissus (wo may, for our present 
purpose, uso the terms indifferently), they admit readily of being classed under some dozeu groups. These groups 
may be called subgenera, or species, or varieties, according to the judgment of the observer. It matters compara- 
tively little whether Mr. A. considers this group important enough to bo called a sub-genus, while Mr. B. estimates it 
at specific rank only. What is of importance, is to be able to distinguish the group, and leave fanciers or students to 
give precedence and rank to the several groups according to their individual judgment. 
“ Mr. Barr works upon a plan which every botanist adopts as far as he is able— ho endeavours to discover the 
original types — the starting points, that is, of all this variation. Keen observation and constant comparison enable 
him to do this with a degree of certainty that no mere casual student or amateur could hope to attain. Wanderings 
in Spain, and the Pyrenees, have enabled him iu many cases to hunt his quarry in its original fastnesses, and thus to 
bring to light the originals of some of the garden forms, so that now in walking through his quarters he is able to say 
of such a form— this must be of Spanish origin, that of Italian extraction, and so on. From Bayonne to Gall icii, 
says Mr. Barr, all the Daffodils are sulphur-coloured. In Gailicia bicolor forms are found ; then come yellow forms 
all round the coast as far as tho Portuguese province of Estramadura. Daffodils of Italian origin may be recognised 
by the fact that they are apt to be thiu in substance as compared with others. 
“ Researches of this kind have interest not only for the botanist but for the historian also — a singular illustration 
of the fact that the student of one department of knowledge caimot afford to discard the evidence supplied by another. 
“ Certain varieties, for instauce, have lately been found iu Irish gardens. The Narcissus now known as Henry Irving, 
turned up unexpectedly in a Dutch garden, where it must have existed for many a generation unheeded. Golden Spur 
had a similar origin. Whence, and how came these varieties ? They must have existed iu Ireland or in Holland, as 
the case may be, for generations ; and the natural inference is that they were introduced into those countries by means 
of ecclesiastical or military travellers from Spain or Italy. But, says Mr. Barr, in answer, if this suggestion were 
{Barr and Son, 
