CHAPTER II, 



HISTORY OF THE ROSE. 



2 he flower desired so deeply 



By thousands of lovers and thousands of maids T 



— Tasso. 



The Rose is found in all countries of the world, and 

 is a native of all, with the exception of a portion of 

 South America and the tropics. The cultivation of the 

 Rose is as old as any branch of horticulture, and 

 although it is hard to trace the age of any variety or to 

 ascertain the introduction of the Queen of Flowers into 

 any portion of the globe, yet ancient history gives abun- 

 dant proof of the esteem in which it was held, and 

 records of the past prove conclusively the great atten- 

 tion paid to its development. Biblical reference is 

 somewhat uncertain, and earlier testimony is of a very 

 meagre character. Homer's allusions to the Rose in 

 his " Iliad " and the " Odyssey " are, without doubt, 

 the earliest records, but far older must be the attention 

 paid to this floral queen. The Bible tells us of the Rose 

 of Jericho and the Rose of Sharon, but these flowers 

 have been discredited by modern writers, and facile 

 pens have done much to prove the name Rose in these 

 two instances to be incorrect. However, if we turn 

 to the Book of Wisdom, ii., 8, we find clear men- 

 tion of the Rose in the words : " Let us crown our- 

 selves with Rosebuds before they be withered," and 

 a portion of the preceding verse, ** Let no flower of 

 the Spring pass by us," shows that the writer points 

 to a well-known flower and a custom prevalent in his 

 day, as also at a later period. The fact that the wild 

 Rose is found so widely distributed, and that in variety, 

 is, I think, conclusive proof of its popularity. Sappho,. 



