THE MOSS ROSE. 



(llOSA CENTIFOLIA MUSCOSA.) 



Rosier Moussu a Cent Feuilles. 



The Moss Rose, or Mossy Provence Ruse, is most 

 probably an accidental sport or seminal variety 

 of the common Provence Rose, as the Old Dou- 

 ble Moss Rose, which was introduced to this 

 country from Holland in 1596, is the only one 

 mentioned by our early writers on gardening. If 

 it had any claims to be ranked as a botanical 

 species,^ the Single-flowering Moss Rose would 

 have been the first knov^n and described ; but the 

 Single ^NIoss, as compared with the Double, is 

 a new variety. Some few years since a traveller 

 in Portugal mentioned that the jNIoss Rose grew 

 wild in tlie neighbourhood of Cintra ; but, most 

 likely, the plants were stragglers from some 

 garden, as I have never seen this assertion pro- 

 perly authenticated. The origin of the Double 

 Moss Rose, like that of the Old Double Yellow 

 Rose (Rosa sulphurea), is therefore left to con- 

 jecture; for gardeners in old times did not pub- 

 lish to the world the result of their operations and 

 discoveries. As regards the Moss Rose I regret 



* Miller says, with a most remarkable simplicity, tliat he 

 thinks it must be a distinct species, as it is so much more diffi- 

 cult of propagation than the common Provence Kose. 



