IN TR OD UC TION. 1 7 



grant blossoms, beautiful violet-red color, 

 long stems, and luxuriant foliage. But it is 

 essentially a rose for growing under glass, 

 and cannot take the place of numerous old- 

 time favorites as an out-of-door flower. Of 

 comparatively recent introduction, Papa Gon- 

 tier, in like manner, is greatly prized by 

 florists for winter forcing, though to the ama- 

 teur it scarcely takes the place of its deli- 

 ciously-scented rosy rival, Bon Silene. 



The improvements in the Rose may be best 

 understood on .comparing the monographs 

 and catalogues of the present day with the 

 lists of a half-century ago, and more espe- 

 cially with the lists as given by the old garden- 

 masters like Gerarde, by whom it is extolled 

 as " deserving the chiefest and most principall 

 place among all floures whatsoever." How 

 would Herrick and Waller have hymned its 

 praises could they have beheld and savored 

 the roses of to-day ! For what improvements 

 have not been made in the Queen of Flowers 

 since the Elizabethan poets sang, " Go, lovely 

 rose," and " Gather ye rosebuds while ye 

 may !" 



So many varieties now exist, however, that 



growers should exercise redoubled care in 



sending out anything as a novelty which does 



not possess intrinsic merits of its own. It 



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