234 WILD FLOWERS OF 



leaves. The Chinese Roses (JR. indica et semperflo- 

 rens), have been extensively cultivated in the present 

 day, from their hardiness and long continuance in 

 flower, and are now to be seen in almost every garden. 

 The " Tea-Roses," as they are called, are exquisite in 

 their way. Rosa BanJcsics, or LADY BANKS' s Rose, 

 distinguished by its long graceful climbing shoots and 

 unarmed branches, is a beautiful shrub ; its pale yel- 

 low or white flowers are drooping, numerous, small, 

 round, and very double, on long peduncles, resembling 

 in form those of the double cherry, or a small ranun- 

 culus, more than those of the generality of roses. It 

 has a weak but very pleasing scent, and is a native of 

 China. Several other Chinese roses agree with it in 

 character. The yellow Chinese Rose, with double 

 large cream-coloured flowers, is very beautiful, but 

 without scent. It is var. ocJiroleuca of It,. Indica. 



But it is for the florist rather than the botanist to 

 select a wreath of roses, and every one will have their 

 particular favourites but the old red Moss will still 

 be ours, and what can be more beautiful ? it is love- 

 liness in hermit attire. " If," says a competent judge, 

 we were to have but three roses for our own personal 

 gratification, they would be Souvenir de Malmaison, 

 Old Red Moss, and General Dulourg. The latter is 

 a Bourbon rose, which, because it is an old variety, 

 and not very double, has gone out of fashion. We, 

 however, shall cultivate it as long as we enjoy the 

 blessing of olfactory nerves ; for it gives us all the 

 season an abundance of flowers, with the most perfect 

 rose scent that we have ever yet found ; in fact the 

 true attar of rose." * 



* Mr. DOWNING, in the American Horticulturist. 



