But the Show was one of Daffodils, and everywhere
they met the eye, in single blooms of huge size, in
pots, in bunches, and, towards the end of the Hall, in
golden masses of colour. Very lovely they were. The
Narcissus of our twentieth century is indeed different



APRIL 151

to that which I can remember as a boy, so much so
that I doubt whether any other flower has been more
improved during the last five-and-thirty years. And
this improvement is still progressing. Thus, I read in
the gardening papers of new and yet more gigantic
sorts, of which but a few bulbs exist in the possession
of their growers, but that will doubtless appear upon
the market within the next five years.
Of course, a new Daffodil, of which in the beginning
there may be but one bulb, is a very precious thing. I
remember that at the Norwich Show of 1902 there was
one of gigantic proportions — compared to it Glory of
Leyden was a mere babe. Unfortunately, I forget its
name, but when I inquired the price, I was told — a
hundred guineas a bulb ! For the first few seasons
the increase of these bulbs cannot be rapid, but after-
wards, as each child itself becomes the parent of
hundreds, the output grows like a snowball. Those
who live another ten or fifteen years need not despair
of buying these hundred-guinea bulbs at sixpence, or
even threepence, a-piece. Glory of Leyden used to be
very expensive, but I think I purchased my half-dozen
bulbs at one and ninepence each last year, and I sup-
pose that this season they will be cheaper.
