ITS HISTORY. 21 



ing at Provins on liis return from the camp at 

 Luneville, Sept. 21, 1828, was received in state 

 by tlie autliorities, who deputed twelve young 

 ladies to present him with the flowers and con- 

 serves of roses. 



The inliabitants boast that no other roses, even 

 when the same variety is employed, make conserve 

 equal to those grown in the environs of their 

 town : they assert that, towards the end of the 

 seventeenth century, it was sold in India for its 

 weight in gold. 1596 is given by botanists as 

 the date of the introduction of Rosa gallica to 

 England ; and owing to its bearing seed freely, 

 it has been the parent of an immense number of 

 varieties, many of the earlier sorts being more 

 remarkable for their expressive French appella- 

 tions than for any great dissimilarity in the 

 habits or colours. All the roses of this group 

 are remarkable for their compact and upright 

 growth ; many for the multiplicity of their petals, 

 and tendency to produce variegated flowers. 

 Some of these spotted and striped roses are very 

 singular and beautiful. 



The formation of the flower, in many of the 

 superior modern varieties of Rosa gallica, is very 

 regular ; so tliat most probably this family will 

 ultimately be the favourite of those florists who 

 show roses for prizes in the manner that dahlias 

 are now exhibited ; that is, as full-blown flowers, 

 one flower on a stem; for they bear carriage 



