VI PREFACE. 



and character, that has been found of practical 

 value or ornament in the rose, "which has become 

 within the past few years extremely and exten- 

 sively popular. The increasing inquiry for new 

 varieties, so absorbs the interest of both cultiva- 

 tors and purchasers, that many of the older and 

 approved kinds give place to those of more recent 

 introduction, whose merits, to say the most of 

 them, are questionable. 



As far as possible, we have avoided entering 

 into detail on subjects not known to us, or to 

 those in this country whose judgment can be 

 relied upon. "Were we disposed, it would be an 

 easy method of attraction, to republish the vo- 

 lumes of European authors; but we prefer to 

 have a smaller shadow, and hope a better sub- 

 stance in detailing only what is, and what can be 

 practised and relied upon in this variable climate. 

 One deficiency, which all writers on the Eose 

 labor under, is the want of a classical nomencla- 

 ture; many names are entirely fanciful, without 

 derivation or application ; catalogues cannot gene- 

 rally be depended upon, either in name or descrip- 

 tion; even those who know and do all things 

 more perfectly than others, frequently fall into 

 anomalies of the most outre character. However, 

 this does not detract from the beautiful new va- 



