58 THE BOOK OF ROSES. 



or less in clusters. Some in their natural state 

 produce solitary flowers, and have consequently 

 a single flower-stalk, as in the case of the white 

 rose, the Alpine rose, and the spinosissima ; 

 which, when pruned and cultivated, begin by 

 multiplying the peduncle, to produce pairs, 

 threes, or clusters, and to acquire floral leaves. 

 Other roses produce in their natural state 

 solitary flowers; yet on some branches pairs 

 and trios, as in the case of the Rosa laxa, and 

 Rosa parvifolia. 



OF PUBESCENCE. With respect to the pubes- 

 cence of rose-trees, no thing can be more variable. 

 Smooth -stalked varieties are often obtained 

 from hairy species ; but it is more rare to obtain 

 hairy varieties from a smooth-stalked species. 

 There is, however, a variety of the China rose 

 called the Desfosses, which, like the Provins, 

 has bristles under the mid-rib of its leaves. 

 We have noticed that the styles of the Dog rose 

 assume a different character when growing in 

 the north or the south of Europe. In the same 

 way the Rosa lucida, and other American roses, 

 lose their arms and pubes when cultivated in 

 Europe. In the Rosa carbonara, (of Prevost,) 

 the flower-stalk is pubescent previous to the 

 blowing of the flower, and becomes smooth 

 when it is fully blown. In the Noisette, Bour- 

 bon, Lawranceana, and others, the calyx is 

 sometimes prickly, sometimes naked. 



