28 PARSONS ON THE ROSE. 



" Within the last ten years, how many plants have been 

 named and unnamed, classed and re-classed ! — Professor 

 A. placing it here, and Dr. B. placing it there ! I can 

 almost imagine Dame N^ature laughing in her sleeve, when 

 our philosophers are thus puzzled. Well, so it is, in a 

 measure, with roses ; a variety has often equal claims to 

 two classes. First impressions have perhaps placed it in 

 one, and there rival amateurs should let it remain." 



If there exists, then, this doubt of the proper class to 

 which many roses belong, we think it would be better to 

 drop entirely this sub-classification, and adopt some more 

 general heads, under one of which every rose can be 

 classed. It may often be difficult to ascertain whether a 

 rose is a Damask, a Provence, or a Hybrid China ; but 

 there can be no difficulty in ascertaining whether it is 

 dwarf or climbing, whether it blooms once or more in the 

 year, and whether the leaves are rough as in the Remont- 

 ants, or smooth as in the Bengals. We have therefore 

 endeavored to simplify the old classification, and have 

 placed all roses under three principal heads, viz : 



I. Those that make distinct and separate periods of 

 bloom throughout the season, as the Remontant Roses. 



II. Tiiose that bloom continually, without any tempo- 

 rary cessation, as the Bourbon, China, etc. 



III. Those that bloom only once in the season, as the 

 French and others. 



Remontants. — The first of these divisions includes only 

 the present Damask and Hybrid Perpetuals, and for these 

 we know no term so expressive as the French Remontant. 

 ^'' PerpetuaV^ does not express their true character. 



Everblooming Roses is the name we give to those in- 

 cluded under the second general head. This is divided 

 into five classes: 



1. The Bourbon 9 the varieties of which are easily known 

 by their luxuriant growth, and thick, large, leathery 

 leaves. These are, moreover, reasonably hardy. 



