THE ODOUR OF ROSE. 23 
Tea-roses, such as Gloire de Dijon, are so soft and undefinable that 
any comparison is impossible. The Rosa Socrates has an odour of 
peach ; the R. Elizabeth Barbenzien and R. Souveraine an odour of 
melon; R. Jsabelle Narbonnaud and R. Banksia alba an odour of 
violets; R. Safrano an odour of pinks; R. bracteata and R. 
Macartnea an odour of apricot. 
As arule the red roses are more odoriferous than the white. 
Cut roses placed in a vase diffuse their fragrance more powerfully 
than when growing on the plant. The majority of Noisette roses 
are inodorous, but the variety known as “ Unique jaune” recalls 
the odour of hyacinth, and the “ Desprez” that of fruit. Some 
sorts of Rosa canina and R. arvensis, also R. sepium and R. alpina, 
exhale a fine odour of mignonette. The R. moschata (Miller) 
possesses a fine odour of pinks, but none whatever of musk. The 
odour of pinks is also disengaged from the oil-glands in the 
peduncles and sepals of R. Brunonii (Lindl.). In estimating the 
quality of the odour of arose, care should be taken in handling the 
stalk, the calyx, or any green part, as a very slight friction breaks 
the glands which the green parts mostly contain in quantity, and 
in which is secreted an oil or oleo-resin totally different in cha- 
racter to the oil developed in the microscopic glands of the petals. 
In the green parts of some roses the odour is sometimes rank and 
terebenaceous, as in R. pomifera, R. mollis, and R. tomentosa ; 
sometimes it is balsamic, as in R. centifolia ; sometimes fruity, as 
in R. sepium, R. micrantha, R. rubiginosa, R. graveolens, and fh. 
glutinosa, the lower part of whose leaves contains innumerable oil- 
glands, which being broken by friction exhale an agreeable odour, 
which has been very rightly compared to that of an apple called 
the “Pomme Reinnette,” or “ Pippin”; this is very distinctly 
developed in R. rubiginosa (the “ Sweetbriar”’), and to such an 
extent as to be disengaged spontaneously, especially on a warm 
day. (The composition of the body contained in these glands is 
apparently unstudied and little understood, but its nature is sug- 
gestive of valerianate of amyl*.) The leaves of R. lutea, Dalech. 
* A similar odour has been noticed in phenylnitro-ethylene chloride, which 
can be prepared by passing chlorine into a cooled solution of phenylnitro-ethylene 
in chloroform. On the evaporation of the latter it remains as a thick oil, which 
has a penetrating odour, resembling, when dilute, that of pippins. On standing 
for some time, large lustrous crystals are deposited, which are extremely soluble 
in ether and chloroform, and are again left on evaporation as an oil, which 
