APPENDIX. 



THE BOTANY OF THE ROSE.* 



The portion which relates to the groups and species has been revised for the present 

 Edition by J. G. Baker, Esq., F.R.S. 



"OOTANICALLY considered, the Roses constitute one of the most difficult genera the student 

 has to encounter. Notwithstanding this, they have many attractions, and the Wild Roses 

 of our woods and hedge-rows, though of a simple type, are the very impersonations of elegance 

 and beauty. 



Doubtless, at the present day, when beauty of form is less generally prized than masses of 

 colour, the number of cultivators who would care to collect, in their prim gardens, the abori- 

 ginal species of Roses, whether native or exotic, may be limited ; but amongst those who are 

 interested in Rose culture there may be some who desire to know the extent of materials which 

 the genus affords, especially in reference to the working-out, by hybridisation, of characters 

 differing from those which predominate in the races at present cultivated ; and those who wish 

 to do this may find some useful hints in the particulars which follow. 



The Botanist can by no means assent to the broad and sweeping conclusion, at which 

 perhaps the genuine Florist would arrive, that the original forms or species of Roses are unfit 

 to find a place in our gardens. He might justly maintain that many of them are very worthy 

 objects. There is among them a much greater diversity of elegance than the cultivated 

 varieties with all their richness and splendour are found to possess ; and hence it may be 

 assumed that there are many wild Roses which are quite admissible into select Rose gardens, 

 and many more which the hybridist might turn to his advantage. Moreover, a plea might 

 be urged on behalf of the Single Roses on account of their exquisite modelling ; they are often, 

 indeed generally, set aside as inferior to those having double blossoms, and no doubt they are 

 less enduring ; but for all that, to quote but one example, who could affect to despise or look 

 with indifference upon the Austrian Briar ? 



Before proceeding to sketch the various groups of Wild Roses, it may be useful to the 

 uninitiated to explain the application of some of the terms which are employed in referring to 

 the different parts of the Rose Tree. 



For this paper on Wild Roses I am indebted to my friend, the late Thomas Moore, Esq., F.L. S. 



