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The Snowdrop

Galanthus nivalis.

IT will appear to the casual reader that the snowdrop is regarded, in the light of its name, as "a drop of snow." The philologists often remind us that "obvious" derivations are always wrong. We may doubt if the sweeping declaration is a good one; but the present case justifies it so far, because the snowdrop is not a drop of snow. The reader may have seen in the jewellers' shops and in the ears of some fair lady imitations of fuchsia flowers in precious stones, and called "fuchsia-drops." The word before us is an exact parallel thereto. These flowers are likened to eardrops, and they are called "white flower-drops," and that is the proper interpretation of snowdrops. The name is from the German schneetropfen; it implies that the flower affords a type of a class of personal adornments, and to copy it in jewellery would be in perfect taste, other matters having concurrent consideration. The Germans have schneeblume, white winter flower, and schneeflocke, snowflake. To liken a flower to a drop of snow is not reasonable, because there is no such thing as a drop of snow, and there never will be. The decorative notion of the name has not escaped the poets, as, for example- "While still the cold north-east ungenial lowers, And scarce the hazel in the leafless copse, Or sallows show their downy pendent flowers, The grass is sprinkled with its silver drops."

The snowdrop was known to the old or British botanists as a bulbous violet, and also as the Fair Maid of February, and by them it was properly recognised as an introduction from the Continent. Gerarde speaks of it as growing wild in Italy, and as having been thence introduced to "our London gardens." It is a native of Switzerland, Austria, and of Southern Europe generally. When met with as a British wilding it appears to be as happy as its near relation, the daffodil, for it spreads into considerable masses, and though a local flower, is plentiful enough in the places where it occurs. There are many stations in Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire where wild snowdrops may be found; and the county of Sussex can boast of a few, as it can of daffodils also. When met with in places of its own choosing, it is usually in some degree shaded, as though full exposure to the glare of the sun and the fury of the wind were not to its liking. As regards soil, however, it is not at all particular; but we may say that in cultivation a deep sandy loam is best for it, as it is for about nine-tenths of all the border and rockery flowers that are most valued in gardens. Snowdrops increase quickly, and flower freely if allowed fair play; but unfair play obliterates the plant, for it resents insult by terminating an objectionable existence. To do justice to it, the planting of the bulbs should take place early in the autumn, for they require time to prepare themselves for their early flowering. And the next thing is to leave them alone, for annual disturbance is fatal to their prosperity. A very serious mistake is made in many gardens in the typing of the leaves of snowdrops and crocuses, to make them look "tidy." What an absurd proceeding! Tidy, indeed! The leaves fall over in the most graceful lines when left alone, and may supply an artist with a subject worthy of loving attention; but when tied they are hideously ugly and altogether ridiculous. The varieties of snowdrops are about half a dozen in number. The first to flower is a dwarf sort, called proecox. In about seven days after this has flowered, the common nivalis shows its familiar flowers. These are succeeded by the princely imperati, which rises above all the rest, and produces larger flowers. Plicatus is the folded-leaved Crimean snowdrop, known by the folding of the edges of its leaves, which are larger than the leaves of the common variety. The flowers of this, however, are often smaller than those of the common snowdrop, and they are always somewhat greener. As regards colouring, green is often objectionable in a flower, but its combination with white in the subject before us is exquisitely beautiful. A variety with the divisions of the perianth bent back is called reflexus.

In parlour gardening, the snowdrop is occasionally grown in water-glasses, in association with crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, and polyanthus-daffodils. These bulbous-rooted flowers are all amenable to the water culture, and afford agreeable amusement to fireside gardeners. There are two points of importance in the management that it may be well to mention. It is not well for the bulbs to touch the water; there should be a space of at least an inch between the water and the bulbs. The other point is that the first growth should be made in the dark, to promote the free action of the roots before the leaves appear. When the flower-stem and leaves push in advance of the roots, a poor bloom may be expected; but when the roots move first and spread freely, a good bloom may be expected, and there will be a saving of time in the end. It should be remembered further that full exposure to light is absolutely essential to the production of healthy leaves and flowers.