ROSES 175 



And this must be one of the reasons (independently of 

 the beauty and scent) why the rose is so dear to us, 

 and is so closely interwoven with English country life. 

 It is not only that it is the national emblem, and has 

 been so from very early times, for other nations have 

 national floral emblems, which do not enter into their 

 home-life as the rose does vnth us ; nor is it because it 

 is surrounded with so many historical associations — the 

 red rose of Lancaster, the white rose of York, the 

 Tudor rose, the musk roses, and the eglantine of 

 Shakespeare and Milton ; — but it is, I think, that from 

 its easy cultivation, especially in our climate, it is 

 found in every garden, and can be grown in full beauty 

 in the great gardens of the rich, but in equal beauty 

 in the small garden of the poorest cottager. It is the 

 favourite everywhere; in the child's garden, and in 

 the garden of the florist, who watches and nurses 

 it for exhibition — pruned or unpruned, highly culti- 

 vated or neglected, it is always beautiful and always 

 prized. 



For the florist there is scarcely more than one type 

 of rose, the fine double hybrids which have been pro- 

 duced from the two species, Bosa Gallica and Bosa 

 Indica. But I do not propose to speak of them, not 

 because I do not admire them and value them, but 

 their beauties and all their points of excellence can be 



