UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 107 



mine may not be attacked by those troublesome 

 little green caterpillars that ate away the heart 

 of the buds on Mary's yellow rose last year. 

 She kept one of them, which changed into a 

 small brown chrysalis, and this morning it has 

 become a very pretty buff moth, marked all over 

 in brown patten work : it is small, but the 

 antennae are as long as the whole moth, circular, 

 and bowed towards its nose like cow's horns. 



I have also several young rose grafts of dif- 

 ferent species growing on the wild rose 



" Of simpler bloom, but kindred race, 

 The pensive Eglantine ." 



Mr. Biggs asserted that this process would improve 

 their colours. I thought it rather extraordinary 

 that the " simpler bloom" of the wild rose 

 should have that effect; but my uncle said, 

 " Try the experiment first, and reason about it 

 afterwards." 



When I showed these budded roses to Miss 

 Perceval, I expressed my surprise that amongst 

 the numerous South American plants which 

 have been collected in this country, I had not 

 heard of any new species of rose. 



ie Are there any native roses in South 

 America?" she asked. 



"Oh! of course," said I, " in such a flowery 

 country. You know there is an island in the 

 Rio de la Plata called the Isle of Flores, which 

 I suppose is covered with flowers," 



