Middlesex Horticultural Society. 175 



and fastidious florist's hand, and rendered, by the wonderful 

 transmutations of scientific skill, the pride of his garden and 

 his heart; — or the rose beneath the window of the snug farm- 

 house, cultivated to afl:brd a Sunday bouquet, or for its more 

 valued worth, in the simple pharmacopoeia of village medicine 

 of healing herbs; — in every situation, and under every circum- 

 stance, it is decidedly the most universal favorite flower. At- 

 tracting the attention of mankind at an early age of the world, 

 its exquisite beauty, delightful fragrance, and many virtues, 

 have immortalized it by connection with the glorious, the beau- 

 tiful, the lovely, and the good, in nature and in society. Who 

 has not admired the elegant freedom of the sweet brier — its 

 pale, simple blossoms, fine, delicate petals, and numerous sta- 

 mens of rich gold, throwing up, in a single season, a vigorous 

 and pliant stem of six or seven feet high, well secured from 

 too rude an attack on its beauty by strong bent prickles; and 

 even, in mid-winter, lends its aid, by its bright scarlet fruit, to 

 grace the magnificence of that frigid scene? And who that has 

 not gazed with wonder on the splendid productions of the flor- 

 ist's garden, indebted to the magic power of the rose for the 

 charms of flowery June? 



The number of species of roses has been computed as up- 

 wards of two hundred, with almost numberless varieties from 

 cross impregnation and accidental variation. South America 

 is the only country which cannot boast of these elegant flow- 

 ers." 



The rose is capable of great attractions as a florist's flower. 

 Several kinds are most elegant climbers, as the multiflora, 

 (tender,) rubifolia, rubrifolia, &c. Others form fine standard 

 plants, as the moss, and some dwarf kinds. While the Chi- 

 nese and Bengal are best grown in pots, and, when budded, as 

 tree roses. This plan is more practised in Europe than in this 

 country. The best stock for budding is the rubrifolia. By 

 potting the stocks, and suftering them to become well estab- 

 lished, you may, after inserting the buds, have fine flowers in 

 six weeks. The yellow tea and Noisette roses are said to do 

 best under this mode of culture. China, and other tender 

 roses, may be made to survive the winter, by covering them. 

 They thus attain greater vigor and beauty of flower. The 

 rose needs variety of soil, according to the kind. The crim- 

 son roses need much sand, while the tea roses need virgin 

 soil and good compost. To cultivate the rose to advantage, 

 may be considered a mark of floricultural skill. 



