THE CROCUS. 
Some derive the name of this flower from a beautiful 
youth named Crocus, who is said to have been consumed by 
' the ardour of his affection for Smilaxand afterwards meta¬ 
morphosed into the plant which still bears his name. Others 
suppose it to be taken from Coriscus, a city and mountain 
of Cilicia. 
The Spring Crocus is common in various parts of Eu¬ 
rope: there are many varieties ; and as this kind furnishes 
the florists with seed, new varieties continually occur. The 
most usual are the Common Yellow, Great Yellow, Deep 
Blue, Light Blue, White with Blue Stripes, Blue with White 
Stripes, White with a Purple Base, and Cream-coloured,— 
all natives of Britain: as also several from Scotland; the 
Black and White Striped, Cloth of Gold, &c. 
The Yellow is the most showy for the garden, and the 
Purple the most beautiful; the White the most conspicuous, 
and the most curious. 
If the season be mild, this plant will sometimes flower 
in February, and continue to enliven the parterre until April. 
Crocus and Smilax may be turn’d to flowers, 
And the Curetes spring from bounteous showers 
I pass a hundred legends stale as these, 
And with sweet novelty your taste will please. 
OVID. 
( 89 ) 
