MAY. 109 



THE MOSS-ROSE. 



Having collected a few facts relative to some of the old good Roses, 

 particularly Moss- Roses, which owe their origin to accidental " sports," 

 I beg to present my gleanings to the readers of the Florist. 



Shailer's White Moss — the Unique or French White of the cata- 

 logues — was produced by one of those fortunate freaks of nature, a 

 " sport." It is distinguishable from the Bath or Clifton White Moss 

 by a more robust habit, it is more double, has a peculiar glaucous 

 foliage, and it is not so well mossed as the Bath White, but when 

 expanded it is a much fuller flower. Like its compeer, it often sports 

 in colour, having frequently one or more petals reddish pink, and 

 sometimes one half the flower is of that colour. The period of its 

 discovery was about 1799, and occurred in the following manner. In 

 the nursery of the late Mr. Shailer,^' King's Road, Chelsea (now the 

 site of Aiessrs. Knight and Perry's, and Dennis's nurseries), a plant 

 of the red Moss was noticed to have forced a sucker under the box 

 edging and through thegravel-walk ; its glaucous foliage having for- 

 tunately been observed, it was allowed to remain and flower, when, 

 to the great surprise of all, it proved to be indeed at that time a 

 (unique) white Moss. 



The existence of such a flov/er was then considered incredible, 

 and hosts of inquiries were made as to its authenticity. Amongst 

 the earliest inquirers was the then Countess of Carnarvon and the 

 lady of General Carpenter, both of whom ordered two plants. 



It was not sent out till the third season after its discovery, when 

 about thirty- six plants were disposed of at five guineas each. The late 

 Marquis of Blandford, a liberal patron of horticulture, called at the 

 nursery, and ordered six plants of it at that price, and six plants of a 

 striped Moss (on which a word hereafter), for which the same amount 

 was charged, and his lordship gave an order on Messrs. Lee and 

 Kennedy of Hammersmith for the amount. Although several offers 

 had been made, it remained in Mr. Shailer's hands until his lordship's 

 purchase brought the variety under the late Mr. Lee's notice, when 

 that much-respected nurseryman made the following offer : that they 

 would take all the sound plants that were propagated of it at one 

 guinea each, provided Mr. Shailer sold none under five guineas ; 

 which agreement was carried out for several years, and proved, I be- 

 lieve, advantageous to both parties. It is estimated that this piece 

 of good fortune realised to the original proprietor a sum of from 

 800/. to 1000/. It is figured iu Andrews' Rose-Garden, and the par- 

 ticulars of its origin, &c., corroborate these few notes. 



Like all AIoss-Roses, it delights in a deep rich soil ; and, on the 

 Celine stock, this, like most of the comparatively shy growers, is very 

 much improved. 



Ealing. C. G. Wilkinson. 



* For these particulars I am chiefly indebted to the present Mr. Henry 

 Shailer, of Chapel Nursery, Battcrsea Fields. 



