DOG ROSE. — Rosa canina. 



Class ICOSANDRIA. OnUv POLTGYNIA. Nat. Ord. ROSACEJi. 



Rose Teibe. 



In the rich hedges, which in many parts of 

 our island form so beautiful an enclosure to 

 fields, or meadows, there is not, in summer 

 time, a lovelier flow^er than the Rose. Though 

 smaller in size, and inferior in fragrance, to 

 Roses of sunnier climates, yet are we able, even 

 here, to recognise it as the Queen of small 

 flow^ers. We have eighteen species of small wdld 

 Rose; some of them are rare, but several of 

 them are common flowers, and none more so 

 than the Dog Rose. We wonder, when look- 

 ing on its beauty, that it should bear a name 

 which seems to imply some inferiority; yet the 

 old poets called it by the still less merited name 

 of Canker. The hips w^bich succeed the flowers 

 form a valuable store of food for birds, — the 

 fleld-fare, chaffinch, and redwing, especially, 

 feeding chiefly on these and on the berries of 

 the Whitethorn-tree. 



Among the other summer Roses, which are 

 not only frequent, but may be easily recognised 

 even by those who are not botanists, are the 

 Sweet Brier Rose, {Rosa ruhiginosa^ the 



No. 3. 



