FORCING ROSES. 97 



during clear days. The fire should be lowered and 

 shut off in the morning during very bright and pro- 

 mising sunny days in March, merely just keeping it in, 

 and at three P.M. pull out the damper and stir up the 

 fire, but the heat should not be allowed to rise too high 

 during the night, merely enough to secure progress at 

 a low temperature, say 40 or 45. The heat of the 

 house during the day may be maintained at 70 or 75. 



In my opinion there is no branch of forcing that 

 will better repay the trouble and expense than a house 

 devoted solely to the production of Moss Koses for the 

 market. All. these are especial favourites with the fair 

 sex; and I ask, what can be more beautiful than the 

 half-open bud of a moss rose, with its curious calyx 

 half enveloping the beautiful pink, white, or crimson 

 bud, forming as it were love in a shrine ? and of these 

 none deserves more attention than the Crested Pro- 

 vence. This is a rose not generally known ; I am con- 

 vinced, however, that it needs only to be known to be 

 properly appreciated. There is, I think, a mistaken 

 idea about this flower. Some regard it as a moss 

 rose, but I am convinced it is not a true moss, but 

 a Provence, for it bears all the characteristics of 

 that species ; on some occasions it will be entirely 

 destitute of moss, and then no one can distinguish it 

 from a true Provence rose. The large foliage and the 

 growth exactly coincide with this kind. Nothing 

 among roses can equal a half-open bud of this class, 

 with its extraordinary and long, mossy-pointed calyx 

 enveloping the lovely pink bud. 



To succeed well with this rose, grow it strong, and 

 prune it but very moderately, merely taking a few 

 inches off the points of the last season's growth ; or, if 



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