238 WILD FLOWERS. 



the rose, is its being absolutely wanting in the south- 

 ern hemisphere. Yet cultivation has quite overcome 

 nature in this particular instance, for roses intro- 

 duced into Australia flourish with a vigour and luxu- 

 riance almost unknown elsewhere ; and shadow over 

 the newly-raised log-house of the emigrant with the 

 buds and blossoms of his own home. 



The hip of the rose, as Gerarde tells us, " maketh 

 the most pleasante meats and banqueting dishes, 

 and tarts, and such-like ; the making whereof" he 

 commits, in somewhat complicated phraseology, " to 

 the cunning cooke ; and teethe to eate them in the 

 riche man's mouth." The Germans still use them 

 as an ordinary preserve ; and this as well as a pre- 

 serve of the blossom is employed in our own vil- 

 lage confectionary. That the flowers still form an 

 article of diet perhaps I should say of luxury 

 amongst the Chinese, is recorded by Sir John Davis, 

 who, in describing a feast given to him at Shangse 

 by the intendant, mentions a ragout of the flowers 

 of the common China -rose dressed whole, which 

 celestial and ambrosial dish he however declares to 

 have been a " mixture of salt, sour, and other inde- 

 scribable flavours" such as "forbade a repetition;"* 

 being, therein, of a different opinion from " Master 

 Gerarde," who affirms that they are greatly to be 

 desired as a culinary vegetable ; " as well for their 

 virtues and goodness in taste, as also for their beau- 

 tiful colour." Gerarde hints at " diuers other pretty 

 things made of roses and sugar which are imperti- 

 nent vnto our historic;" and as they are to mine 



* " China during the War, and after the Peace," 1852. 



