36 THE BOOK OF ROSES. 



BOTANICAL CHARACTER OF 

 THE ROSE. 



IN order to render intelligible to such readers 

 as have not devoted their attention to the study 

 of Botany the instructions and descriptions con- 

 tained in the following pages, it is necessary to 

 enter into a few details, and proceed to the ex- 

 planation of certain botanical terms, necessarily 

 employed in such a discussion. 



Let the reader take into his hand a simple 

 dog rose, and he will find it composed of five 

 delicately-coloured leaves, which form what is 

 commonly called the flower, and botanically 

 the corolla; each of which leaves, singly, is 

 called a petal. 



In the centre of the corolla formed by the 

 petals, are certain greenish white filaments, 

 some of which are terminated by a little yellow 

 head, and are named stamens, the, heads (covered 

 with a yellowish dust called pollen or farina) 

 being called the anthers ; others terminate in 

 a blunt point, called the stigma, the filament 

 supporting it being called the style, and the two 



