THE WILD ROSES OF BRITAIN 131 



rather badly affected by scale, and in such cases the 

 plants soon suffer if steps are not taken to clean them. 

 This may be most readily accomplished by spraying the 

 bushes once a week during late April and early May 

 with paraffin emulsion, using half an ounce to one gallon 

 of water. 



DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES 



Rosa agrestis. — This is found in hedges and on waste 

 ground in many parts of the country, notably in Surrey 

 and Sussex, whilst well-marked forms of it occur in 

 Warwickshire, Yorkshire, and in Ireland. It is closely 

 related to the Sweet Brier, Rosa rubiginosa. Differences 

 may, however, be noticed in the looser growth and by 

 there being little or no fragrance in the leaves. It 

 forms a bush four to five feet high, with rather small 

 leaflets, pinkish flowers one and a half to two inches 

 across, and scarlet, ovoid fruits. 



Rosa arvensis (synonym, Rosa rep ens) is well known 

 by reason of its double-flowered variety, which is an 

 old favourite in gardens. It is familiarly known as the 

 Ayrshire rose. It is easily recognised amongst other 

 British roses by reason of its long, slender, trailing 

 branches, which are rather sparingly armed with stout, 

 hooked prickles. The leaves are made up of five or seven 

 dark green leaflets, and the white flowers, which are 

 about two inches across, are borne in clusters during 

 June. Under normal conditions it may be found as a 

 bush four to five feet high, but when it can find the sup- 

 port of a bush or small tree it may grow ten or twelve 



