THE BOOK OP ROSES. 75 



crescence as a powerful astringent; but sub- 

 jected to analysis, its imaginary properties 

 have disappeared, and it is no longer used in 

 medicine. 



The Provins rose, or Rosa Gallica of Linnseus, 

 is still in use. The rose-leaves are stripped, 

 just as the bud is on the point of expanding, 

 that they may lose nothing of their flavour and 

 colour, and carefully separated from the calyx, 

 stamens, and pistils. Some persons even remove 

 the base of the petal ; but this minute and 

 tedious operation appears superfluous. 



In their original freshness, the petals of the 

 Provins rose have a bitter and rather acrid taste, 

 and are moderately fragrant. They must be 

 dried as rapidly as possible, in an oven slightly 

 heated ; for if dried by exposure to the sun, 

 they lose considerably in fragrance and medical 

 virtue. Six pounds of fresh rose-leaves are 

 necessary to produce a single pound available 

 in pharmacy. As the Provins rose alone is 

 desirable for the purpose, its petals are to be 

 recognised as of a fine deep red, yellow at the 

 base ; each petal being of moderate size. If 

 pale in colour, and neither bitter nor acrid to 

 the taste, they should be rejected as spurious. 



The eglantine, or Rosa canina of Linnseus, 

 was formerly used in medicine, when the root 

 was considered a specific in cases of hydro- 

 phobia, and the petals in disorders of the eyes. 



E2 



