274 BRECK'S BOOK OF FLOWERS. 



mossiness which surrounds them gives them a luxuriant ap- 

 pearance not easily described ; but it is familiar to every one. 

 It is a fragrant flower ; its country is not known to us v and we 

 know it only as a double flower. 



" The origin of its mossy vest has been explained to us by a 

 German writer : 



1 The angel of the flowers one day 

 Beneath a Rose-tree sleeping lay : 

 That spirit, to whose charge is given 

 To bathe young buds in dews from heaven ; 

 Awaking from his light repose, 

 The angel whispered to the Rose : 

 ' O fondest object of my care, 

 Still fairest found where all are fair, 

 For the sweet shade thou 'st given to me, 

 Ask what thou wilt, 't is granted thee.' 

 'Then,' said the Rose, with deepened glow, 

 ' On me another grace bestow.' 

 The spirit paused in silent thought ; 

 What grace was there that flower had not ! 

 ' T was but a moment ; o'er the Rose 

 A veil of moss the angel throws, 

 And, robed in nature's simplest weed, 

 Could there a flower that Rose exceed ? ' " 



We now proceed to give some practical instruction in rela- 

 tion to the Rose. 



Soil. Roses will succeed well in any good garden soil ; but 

 to have them in perfection, it is necessary that the soil be well 

 enriched and deeply dug. The Rose, like the vine, is a gross 

 f eeder, and is not injured by heavy manuring. In a poor, lean, 

 shallow soil, it is impossible to bring out the beauties of any 

 variety of the Rose. A strong, rich loam, or vegetable mould, 

 with about one quarter of its bulk of well decomposed stable 

 manure, is recommended by Parsons as a standard for the qual- 

 ity of the soil in which to grow the Rose ; and if the soil of 

 the garden, where the Rose is to be planted, differs materially 

 from this, the requisite materials should be added, that it may 

 approach as near as possible to that standard. In my own ex- 

 perience, I have found that the more manure, if not an extra v< 



