40 THE ROSE. 



finest varieties of the race are Common Moss, 

 Crested, and Prolific or Gracilis. Most of 

 the kinds have 7 leaflets. 



The Provence Rose (Rosa Centifolia Provin- 

 dalis}, or Cabbage Rose, is supposed to have 

 been known to the Romans, and derives its 

 botanical name from the great number of 

 petals or flower-leaves. Its origin is not 

 known, but growing abundantly in Provence, 

 the South of France, it has received that 

 name, though the French themselves always 

 call it by the botanical name of Rose a Cent- 

 Feuilles. Their habit is somewhat drooping 

 and straggling, the foliage massive; the 

 flowers are generally of globular form and of 

 delightful scent, so that to say a variety is as 

 fragrant as the Cabbage Rose is commenda- 

 tion enough, so far as scent is concerned. 

 This class demands good culture and close 

 pruning ; though but few in numbers, it was 

 formerly an important group, and will ever 

 be remembered through the Common Pro- 

 vence, or Cabbage Rose, a variety which, 

 though blossoming but once, should be found 

 in every collection of any size. None others 

 are worth cultivating except the highly 

 scented Crested Provence, which is better 

 known as Crested Moss and appropriately 

 placed with the Mosses. 



