Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/454

 422 ♦'LONDON PRIDE." By James Britten, F.L.S. I SEE that Mr. Henslow, in his recently published How to Study Wild Flowers, follows Dr. Prior in the explanation he gives for this name as applied to Saxifraga umbrosa. This supposed derivation is such an excellent example of the way in which — as in the old fable of "The Three Black Crows" — a vague and inaccurate statement develops into an accepted fact, that I think it may be well to put the various stages of development on record ; and thus (perhaps) prevent future writers from falling into the same error. The stages of development are as follow : — 1. ''I know I have somewhere read that Saxifraga umbrosa was called London Pride because it was a great favourite of London, the partner in the firm of London and Wise, the celebrated Eoyal Gardeners of the early part of the last century." — R. H [eward] in Gardeners' Chronicle, May 2, 1863, p. 413. 2. "It is understood, upon apparently good authority, that of Mr. R. Heward in the Gardeners' Chronicle, to have been given to [S. umbrosa] in reference to the person who introduced it into cultivation, Mr. London, of the firm," &c., as above. — Dr. Prior, Popular Names of British Plants, p. 139 (1863 and subsequent editions). 3. *' Named after Mr. London, of the firm of London & Wise, who first introduced it into cultivation, in the early part of the eighteenth century." — Rev. G. Henslow, How to Study Wild Flowers, p. 107 (1896). It will be observed that Mr. Heward has now become the "authority" for what he had "somewhere read," and that London is credited with having "introduced into cultivation" what in the original statement was merely styled "a great favourite " with him : Mr. Henslow states the matter absolutely, as if there could be no doubt about it. But what are the facts ? Certainly London did not introduce the plant into cultivation. Gerard had it in his garden, where it "flourished exceedingly," and it was evidently then common in London, for he says it is called "of our London dames Pratling Parnell" {Herbal, p. 645 (1597)). Parkinson says, "Some of our English Gentlewomen have called it The Princes Feather" (Paradisus, p. 234 (1629) ). Nor was the plant called after London, who died in 1717. The name "London Pride" was commonly given to the Sweet William in 1633 (Johnson's Gerard, p. 597), and earlier; it is called "Pride of London" in the index to Parkinson's Paradisus (1629), and in Sutherland's Hortus Medicus Edinensis (1613). It was commonly applied to Saxifraga umbrosa before the end of the century ; Moly- neux.(Phil. Trans, xix. 510 (1697) ) says it is <* vulgarly call'd by the gardeners London Pride"; and Threlkeld (Syn. Stirp. Hibern. Appendix, p. 2 (1727) ) cites the name incidentally as being in