The History of the Rose. 15 



in 1680 enumerates twelve different kinds. According to Decandolle, France has no 

 less than nineteen species growing spontaneously in her hedges, woods, and wilds. 

 The chief among them is the ROSA GALLICA or French Rose, which has produced 

 some of the most brilliant and regularly formed flowers of the genus.* France is rich 

 in Rose-lore, scientific, practical, and poetical. Of the former branches, Guillemeau, 

 Boitard, Leleur, Vibert, Redoute, and Thorry, Deslongchamps, Iver, Jamain, and 

 Forney, occur to me as some of the most distinguished exponents. 



The country abounding in Roses, we should expect its poets would not fail to 

 notice them, and perhaps in no other language have so many beautiful comparisons 

 been instituted, or so many verses written in their praise. But of these hereafter. 



There exists at the present day in the village of Salency in France a custom 

 which is of very ancient date. As early as the sixth century the Bishop of Noyon 

 offered a prize of a crown of Roses to be given yearly to the maid of the village who 

 should have earned the greatest reputation for modesty and virtue. The villagers 

 have the power of appointing her who shall receive it, and it is awarded with much 

 ceremony and rejoicing. This custom has also prevailed in other French towns, and 

 has recently been adopted in England. 



It is the opinion of some of the French authors on this flower that Roses were 

 cultivated far more extensively in France in former times than at present, which they 

 arrive at from the statements made by early authors of the great quantities which 

 were used on particular occasions. I have sometimes thought it a matter of surprise 

 that the Rose should have taken the precedence of all other flowers in France at an 

 earlier period than in this country, especially when we consider that it is our national 

 emblem, and that to the enterprise of English collectors Europe stands indebted for 

 many species which were sent from this country to France and elsewhere. It was so 

 with the Tea-scented, the Chinese Rose, the Banksiae, the Microphylla, the Macartney, 

 the Multiflora, &c., some of which were from 16 to 20 years in England before they 

 found their way to France. 



But it was fashion paved the way for the general reception of the Rose in that 

 country. At the commencement of the last century, the Empress Josephine acknow- 

 ledged it as her favourite flower, and caused varieties to be collected throughout 

 Europe, and brought to her garden at Malmaison. The late Mr Kennedy, of 

 Hammersmith was provided with a passport to go and come as he pleased during 

 the war, in order that he might superintend the formation of that garden. The 

 patronage of the Empress gave an impetus to Rose culture. Establishments were 

 soon formed solely for the purpose, among the earliest of which were those of 



* The French Rose crossed with the Chinese Rose produced the Hybrid Chinese ; the latter again, crossed 

 with the Bourbon and Damask Perpetual, produced the Hybrid Perpetual. The Hybrid Perpetual crossed with 

 the Tea-scented, or vice versa, produced the Hybrid Tea-scented, and the late Mr Henry Bennett and Messrs 

 Dickson & Sons played a distinguished part in the development of these beautiful Roses. 



