136 CULTURE OP THE ROSE. 



The Moorish treatise translated by De la Neuvilie also describes- 

 a process for changing the color of roses, which, though ex- 

 tremely doubtful, may be worthy of insertion here, and may in- 

 duce some curious experiments. "They dig," says the author, 

 "around the plant in December, and leave it standing in the 

 earth in its vertical position. Then the black pellicle which 

 covers the principal roots is stripped off, without detaching it 

 from the base of the plant. This can be performed by a longi- 

 tudinal incision with a knife, which raises the pellicle delicately 

 to the right and left, without cutting it above or below. The 

 space between the pellicle and the root itself is then filled with 

 strongly-scented saffron, reduced to an impalpable powder. The 

 root thus stuffed, should be wrapped with a piece of linen secure- 

 ly tied, then surrounded with an oily clay, and finally covered 

 over with earth. The plant will then produce roses of a saffron 

 color. I recommend this process," continues the author, "be- 

 cause I have tried it iftyself, and obtained roses of a rich, agree- 

 able color. If deep blue roses are wanted, falch^ a brilliant in- 

 digo, should be used." 



" A citizen of Damascus informs me," wrote Ebu-Alwan, 

 " that he dissolved indigo in common water, and with the tincture 

 assiduously watered a plant from the first of October till the 

 commencement of active vegetation, and that the roses which it 

 produced were of a very agreeable deep blue." Haj says that he 

 thinks this story was made for amusement. 



Respecting the first process, there is no doubt that the absorb- 

 ent powers of the plant would be quite sufficient to take up a 

 large portion of the indigo thus applied to the roots, and the solu- 

 tion would no doubt pass into the branches ; and the question 

 can only be whether, when so absorbed, its properties remain 

 sufficiently unchanged to affect the color of the leaf or flower. 

 The experiment is a curious one, and would be well worth the 

 trial. Some singular result might possibly be attained. It is 

 only by frequent experiment, and by a bold travel on the untrod- 

 den fields of what may be deemed the wildest conjecture, that 

 any new and singular result can be attained. Ten years ago, 



