130 WHJ) FLOWERS. , 



rally believed by country people. These fruits 

 are to the birds a continual feast, until the 

 frost has rendered them tasteless, or the wind 

 has scattered them under the hawthorn or 

 brier. In the time of queen Elizabeth, the 

 wild brier hips were made, " by cooks and 

 gentlewomen," into tarts and conserves ; and 

 the conserve made from the scarlet fruits of 

 the common dog rose (Rosa canind) is still sold 

 by the druggist, and considered better than 

 that which is the produce of the garden flower. 

 From this flower, too, an excellent rose water is 

 distilled. 



The sweet brier rose, (Rosa ruhiyinosa,) the 

 eglantine of the poets, is common in some parts 

 of England, on open bushy places. It may 

 easily be known from the dog rose by its 

 smaller flowers, of a deeper pink colour, and 

 especially by its fragrant foliage. 



The several other wild roses, with the ex- 

 ception of two kinds, are so alike in general 

 appearance, as that they cannot be easily de- 

 scribed in a popxilar work, so as that the reader 

 may distinguish them. Two common species, 

 however, may be recognised. The little white 

 flowers of the burnet-leaved rose (Rosa spino- 

 sissima, ) grow plentifully on chalky or sandy 

 soils. It is tinged with cream colour. Its 

 leaves are much smaller than those of the 

 dog rose, of a darker green, and not so glossy ; 

 and its stems are so thickly set both with long 

 and short prickles, that it is difficult to gather 

 a branch of its slightly scented flowei"s. The 



