cresswell] THE SWEET BRIAR ROSE 185 



tint and quite thickly set with reddish backward pointing thorns. 

 Canes and thorns become brown on the old wood, while on the 

 young growth they are green. 



The leaves are pinnately compound, having three to seven 

 leaflets, and somewhat small in comparison with other roses. 

 The margin is finely and doubly serrate. The upper leaf surface 

 is deep green and the lower somewhat paler. The stipules are 

 small and clasping. Thus far these rose leaves appear like any 

 other but the instant they are touched one is conscious of the 

 sweet brier perfume. The under surfaces of the leaves, the 

 calyxes and youngest stems are found to be thickly set with rusty 

 colored hairs. These hairs are the resinous glands which give 

 this rose its characteristic odor. Moisture seems to intensify the 

 perfume. At least it is always richer after a rain or on a dewy 

 morning. 



Early June is its flowering time. Clusters of buds with long 

 green calyx lobes twisted over their precious contents appear 

 on the swaying branchlets. The pointed lobes roll back and 

 display a dainty five petaled sea-shell tinted rose about one inch 

 across. For them to be larger would break the symmetry of 

 the rose bush since the leaves are small too. Tradition says 

 they were once white as shown by this verse, — 



"As erst in Eden's blissful bowers 

 Young Eve surveyed her countless flowers, 

 An opening rose of purest white 

 She marked with eye that beamed delight. 

 Its leaves she kissed, and straight it drew 

 From beauty's lips the vermil hue." 



The rose petals are heart shaped on the margin and do not over- 

 lap each other. The stamens are many and of a pale yellow hue 

 and the fuzzy stigmas sit in a huddled group in the center. Some 

 have said that this rose flower has no perfume. Be the attraction 

 perfume or tint, honey bees and bumble bees lose no time in 

 visiting it. Sweet brier does not put her nectar down in forbidding 

 wells where only the favored few may sip, but offers it freely to 

 all who wish to partake. Flies and beetles join the buzzing horde 

 around the sweet brier. The rose family usually matures anthers 

 and stigmas at the same time, but the anthers turn outward 

 so the insect visitor touches the stigmas first. Bumble bee 

 tumbles into the rose's slight cup and waddles awkwardly over the 



