218 History and Cultivation of the Rose. 



former has the sweet briar fragrance. The Moss roses are much 

 admired by all lovers of the genus. Its mossy stem, crested calyx, 

 and mossy buds will never cease to be the admired of all admir- 

 ers. Some of the varieties of the Moss rose are perpetual bloom- 

 ers. 



The next class of roses we have to consider is the Evergreen. 

 They are synonymous with the Hybrid China. These originated 

 from crosses of the China, Bengal and Bourbon roses. Some of 

 them are perpetual, and others not this class are closely allied 

 in habit and growth to the Noisette. The Bengal and Tea 

 scented China roses are the result of importations from China, and 

 are distinguished from other varieties of China roses by their 

 glossy leaves and smooth bark, and the distance the thorns are 

 from each other on the stem. The Noisettes are most of them tea 

 scented, some of them emitting a powerful odor. They are usu- 

 ally strong growers, and some of them of a climbing habit, often 

 running thirty feet in height. 



Among the Provence and other hardy summer roses there are 

 many varieties that are eminently worthy of a place in every 

 flower garden. The habit and growth of this class is low, shrub- 

 by, hardly ever attaining a height of over six feet. The Scotch 

 roses, as a class, are the most diminutive in size of plant and blos- 

 som, of any class of roses yet described. They are unique in ap- 

 pearance, and cultivated and admired by many. There are other 

 roses that receive by some florists separate classifications, among 

 which are the Banksii, Mycrophylla and Musk Scented. These va- 

 rieties can all be classed with those already mentioned. 



We have now given the diflFerent classes of roses and their pe- 

 culiar characteristics, and will proceed to give some hints upon their 

 propagation and cultivation. The way to propagate the rose is 

 by layering, as stronger plants may be obtained in less time by 

 layers than by cuttings. The usual mode of propagating by 

 layers is as follows : Select from the parent bush two or three 

 thrifty sprouts, dig out the earth of sufficient depth to lay down 

 the branch or shoot to be layered, prepare a stick witli a hook 

 upon it, or use a wire with a crook at the end, then lay down the 

 shoot. First take a knife and make an incision to the centre of the 

 shoots, or nearly to the centre. Make the incision from one to 

 two inches, open gently with the knife, insert in the incision a 

 small round piece of wood, leaving open the cut about one quarter 



