Barr’s 
“ Gold Medal ” Daffodils. 
DAFFODILS are the most graceful and beautiful of all Hardy Spring Flowers, and withstand 
uninjured our severest winters better than any other flower. The cut blooms are always acceptable, and 
arc in abundance out of doors at a season when other flowens are scarce. They supplement and associate 
admirably with hot-house flowers. 
BARR’S DAFFODILS have been awarded the highest prizes during the Spring of 1904, 
including Gold, Silver-gilt, and Silver Medals for groups, and First-Class Certificates 
and Awards of Merit for individual varieties. 
PRESS NOTICES OF BARR^S DAFFODILSm 
Extract from “The Gardener’s Magazine,” April 30th, 1904. 
“DAFFODILS AT DITTON. 
*' This year at least the daffodils did not ' take the winds of March with beauty,' but reserved their loveliness 
for the month of April. If the legendary Narcissus was half as beautiful as many of the newer daffodils, one 
ceases to wonder at his conceit, and can even sympathise with one who, so enamoured of his own loveliness, at 
last languished away. Shelley refers to this old myth when he writes of — 
' Narcissi, the fairest among them all, 
Who gaze on their eyes in the stream’s recess, 
Till they die of their own dear loveliness.’ 
•‘To gain a fair idea of all the wondrous variety of form and colour the daffodil family now possesses, one 
must pay a visit to such an establishment as that of Messrs. Barr and Sons, at Ditton Hill, Surrey, not far 
from Surbiton Station on the London and South-Western Railway, and only a pleasant walk from the 
Middlesex side of Kingston Bridge — a point easily reached by electric tram from several parts of West London. 
Broadly speaking, it was Mr. Peter Bark who made the daffodil so famous as a garden flower, and it was the 
daffodil that made Mr. Peter Barr famous throughout the world of horticulture. While history lasts the flower 
and the man will never be disassociated. The journeys to Spain, the discoveries of N. cyclamiiieus, N. Johnstoni 
Queen of Spain, and many another lovely daffodil have been written about time and again. His foresight and 
his courage, in face of not a few difficulties, and the sneers of those who regarded his pets as ‘ only daffodils, 
form a fine example to latter-day florists; we to-day reap a rich harvest as the result of the labours of Mr. 
Peter Barr. 
" Three worthy sons of a worthy sire now carry on the business while Barr p6re is sauntering round the 
world, visiting Palestine, or in other ways pleasantly enjoying the evening of life. That the work of cross- 
fertilisation among the daffodils is carried on with enthusiasm at Ditton may be gathered from the fact that the 
firm staged over forty new seedlings at the recent R.H.S. meeting. The difficulty in these days is to obtain 
varieties so distinct as to at once attract attention, and yet at the same time be without any trace of coarseness. 
The highest point yet reached in the way of white trumpet daffodils is undoubtedly marked by the variety named 
Peter Barr; it is wholly white, of fine form, bold appearance, and a good grower. The modest price of fifty 
guineas per bulb is asked, but in any case it will not be a cheap variety for some time to come. Lord Roberts 
is a splendid trumpeter, with finely proportioned golden-yellow flowers of large size ; it grows nearly two feet 
high, carries its flowers boldly, and is not ashamed of itself. C. H. Curtis is another bold form, with very broad 
perianth segments, a broad, frilled trumpet, and is wholly of a deep golden yellow ; this, however, is not yet in 
commerce. Pyramus, with canary trumpet and creamy perianth, is also a good thing, and recently had ilsi 
merits recognised by the Koval Horticultural Society. But time and space would fail us to tell even of all the 
choice or ever-popular daffodils of this group. It must suffice that Duke Of Bedford, Big Ben, Cleopatra, 
Monarch, Henri VUmorin, the gold-coloured King Alfred, Van Waveren’s Giant, Weardale Perfection, and 
Queen Christina are about the pick of those choice varieties that appeal to the connoisseur, and are somewhat 
expensive. But most folk will find equal pleasure in Emperor, Empress, Horsfleldii, M. J. Berkeley, P. R. Barr, 
one of the very best for bedding; Ray Smith, a fine golden form ; Grandee, the delightful J. B. M. Camm, 
with pale yellow trumpet and white perianth ; Madame de Graaff, the queen of white trumpet daffodils as 
Peter Barr is the king of them ; Mrs. Walter Ware, and Victoria. . . . Judging from the beds of seedlings, 
it is evident that among trumpet daffodils J. B. M. Camm and Madame de Graaff are favourites as parents, but 
of course all the finest forms, like King Alfred, Peter Barr, etc., are being pressed into service for the production 
of finer forms and greater variety of colouring. 
"Fast following on the daffodils are the great breadths of Darwin and Cottage tulips at Ditton, but at. 
present the daffodil holds the field. But time is hastening, and flowers fade, consequently our readers must 
hasten to Ditton if they would subsequently have that pleasing recollection so admirably expressed by 
Wordsworth — 
* They flash upon that inward eye, 
Which is the bliss of solitude, 
And then my heart with pleasure fills, 
And dances with the daffodils.”’ 
