THE WELSH DAFFODIL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8355, 15 February 1913, Page 13

THE WELSH DAFFODIL

Some of our readers will remember that on tne occasion of the installation of Prince Edward as Prince of Wales at Carnarvon Castle iu July, 1911, he adopted the dah’odil as the emblem ot Wales. Mr W. Davis, of Doneraile, Exmouth, tells in a little pamphlet just issued how the daffodil first got into Wales. The home home of the flower is iu the Forth of Spain, celebrated for its non ore. The inhabitants were seafaring men, and on a Vvjngo were oonveyeu by tno flow of the Vauif Scream to Pombroxeshire. There they saw the fesrdouis digging what is now known ao ainnracue, and making lues with it. They also noted that the Welsh people were worshippers ot the sun. or Drums. The Spamarus procured some of the anthracite. and used it as ballast. On arriving in Spam they made a lire with tho “ black stones," and by placing lumps of iron ore in or around tne anthracite, they'saw its superiority over charcoal for smelting, resulting in metallic iron. When tho coal which the Spanniards had taken with them became exhausted, an expedition was organised to Wales to obtain another supply for smelting Iron ore. As barter for the “black stones,” they carried with them roots or bulbs of their beautiful daffodil, because they reasoned that the men who worshipped the sun would be struck by its beauty, as the flower unfolded itself and displayed its marvels of form and colour; and that in its corona and radiating petals they would see reflected in the flower the beauty and glory of the sun. Thus used as barter, and then accepted and regarded as a sacred symbol, reverently tended and cultivated by the ancient people of "Wales, it flourished and became established iu their country.—" Westminster Gazette."