

FOREIGN NOTICES. 95 



First Moss Roses. — Oa the first introduction of the old red Moss Eose, it was sent over with 

 some plants of Orange trees from the Italian States, to Mr. Weexch, then a nurseryman and gar- 

 dener at Broomhouse, Fulham, in or about the year 1735. It remained in that family nearly 20 

 years, without being much noticed or circulated until a nui'<eryman of the name of Gret, of the 

 Fulham nursery, now Me?srs. Osborn's, brought it into note. In speaking of the first production 

 of the the white Moss Rose, which took place in the year 1788, the first birth was from a sucker 

 or under-ground shoot My father, Henry Suailer, nui-seryman, of Little Chelsea, an extensive 

 grower of Moss Roses,* perceiving it to be a lusus naturce from a stool of the red Moss, cut it off 

 and budded it ou the white Provins, or Rose La Blanche Unique. The buds flowered the follow- 

 ing season a pale blush ; he budded them again the following season ; it became much whiter ; it 

 was then figured in Andrew's Rosery, under the name of Shailer's White Moss. He then sold it 

 out, the first plants to Lord Kimbolton, then to the Marquis of Bland ford. Lady de Clifford, the 

 Duke of Gloucester, Ac, at five guineas per plant. He continued to sell it at that price for three 

 years ; he then entered into a contract with Messrs. Lee & Kennedy of Hammersmith, they taking 

 as maoy plants as he could grow for three years, at 20s. per plant, binding him not to sell to any 

 one else under 425. per plant After cutting down the shoots which produced the White Moss, it 

 threw up two weak shoots which he budded from ; they flowered the second season from the 

 buds ; that was the birth of the Striped Moss Rose, a most beautiful and delicate variety, but when 

 grown veiy strong, apt to go back to the original parent. The first production of the single 

 Red Moss Rose, in 1807, was a sport of nature ; my father sent some plants of 3foss Roses down to 

 a nurseryman of the name of Essex, in Colchester ; on the receipt of a letter from that person, I 

 went with my father to see it when it was in bloom ; I took some cuttings away with me to bud; 

 and fetched the original plant away in the following autumn to our nursery at Little Chelsea > 

 from there we sent the first plants out at 5s. On the first production of the old Scarlet Moss Rose, 

 which is a semi-double, it flowered on a plant given by my father to his brother, F. Suailer, of 

 Cook's Ground, and Queen's Elm, Chelsea, in 1808, nurseryman; the first production of the Most 

 de Meaitx, was from a sport of nature from the old Be Meaux, in thft neighborhood of Bristol, but 

 brought into a high state of perfection by Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith. Tlie birth of the Sage- 

 leaf Moss Rose, I must claim myself; it was a sport of nature ; I discovered it on a Sunday after- 

 noon, in the month of June, 1813; I sold the whole stock to Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith. It 

 has a delicate shell-like form, and is a beautiful blush ; it is now nearly extinct. The Rose Blanche 

 Uniipie, or White Provins, was discovered by Mr. Daniel Grimwood, of Little Chelsea, nui-sery- 

 man; he was on a journey of business in the county of Norfolk, in the month of July, 1775, when 

 riding very leisurely along the road, he perceived a Rose of great whiteness in a mill ; he alighted, 

 and on close inspection he discovered it to be a Provins Rose; he then sought an interview with 

 the inmate of the mill, who was an elderly female ; he begged a flower, which was instantly given 

 him ; in return he gave her a guinea. In cutting off the flower he cut three buds; he went to the 

 first inn, packed it up, and sent it direct to my father, at his nursery. Little Chelsea, who was 

 then his foreman, requesting him to bud it, which he did, and two of the buds grew ; in the fol. 

 lowing autumn he went down to the same place, where for five guineas he brought the whole 

 stock away ; he then made an arrangement with my father to propagate it, allowing him 5s. per 

 plant for three years; at the expiration of that time he sold it out at 21s. per plant, my father's 

 share amounting to upwards of £300. Mr. Grimwood sent the old lady at the mill a superb silver 

 tankard, <tc., to the amount of £60. The Shailers Provins, or Rosa gracilis, so named by Messrs. 

 Lee, was raised from the seeds of the Spineless or Virgin's Rose, sown by myself in 1799, and 

 flowered in 1802; we raised numerous varieties from seed up to 1816, generally selling them to 

 Messrs. Lee, who sent them out under their own naming. I can vouch for the truth of the above. 

 — JI. Sliailer, in Gardeners' Record. 



* Faulkner's History of Chelsea. 



