118 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



repeat that which was said or done within. And even to this 

 day anything told sub-rosa, imphes that it is not to be re- 

 vealed. 



The species numbering several hundred, are found through- 

 out the world, even Iceland, Greenland, and Siberia being repre- 

 sented. China, Persia, and India however have furnished some 

 of the finest species. From this raw material as it were, culti- 

 vators have created the almost innumerable varieties that are 

 catalogued today. From the Spinosissima, the type of those 

 native to great Britian, the varieties known as the Scotch roses 

 have sprung. There are several hundred varieties of these 

 alone though they are not as much valued as many of the other 

 classes. 



Rosa Centifolia, is supposed to be the hundred leaved rose of 

 Pliny. It is a native of Eastern Caucasus and is one of the oldest 

 and best known of the family. This is the variety known as 

 the cabbage rose. Many fine hybrids of it have been produced 

 by English and French gardeners since its introduction into 

 England in the year 1596. 



The Centifolia Muscosa or Moss rose, the history of which is 

 unknown, is supposed to be an accidental sort from the spino- 

 sissima or from one of its hybrids. Plant seeds of the moss 

 rose and you will find that perhaps one in three of the resulting 

 seedlings will show moss and the others will have aU the char- 

 acteristics of the cabbage rose. For hundreds of years the 

 Damask rose has been grown in the gardens and fields of 

 Damascus and used for making the rare and very expensive 

 perfume or essence known as Attar of Roses. 



And even in this day and age, great fields of this rose may be 

 seen there. I have friends who were in Damascus during the 

 harvest of the blossoms, and you may be sure I was interested 

 in hearing them tell how the blossoms were gathered in great 

 baskets by peasant women and taken to the places for refining 

 where by means of lard or tallow and distilling, the very odor 

 was reduced to liquid form. 



There is another family that is grown extensively for the 

 same purpose. This is the Rosea Gallica, indigenous to France 

 and Italy. Great quantities of them are grown around Paris 



