

16 THE ROSE. 

and varieties; the flowers single, semi-double 
and double; the odor is universally grateful; the 
green rose is a monstrosity, without fragrance. 
The Rose is cultivated in every garden, from 
that of the most humble peasant to that of per- 
sons of rank and wealth, but will not grow to 
perfection in the smoky, dusty atmosphere of 
large towns. Some species, as Rosa centifolia, 
damascena, etc., are also cultivated by com- 
mercial gardeners, on a large scale, for distilling 
rose-water, or for making attar or essential oil of 
Roses; six pounds of aiieteneee will impregnate, 
by distillation, a gallon of water strongly with 
their odour, but a hundred pounds affords scarcely 
half an ounce of attar. This most delicious of all 
perfumed essences is obtained by the simple 
distillation of rose-leaves. In our climate Roses 
are not sufficiently scented to produce the odor- 
iferous essential oil. Among the most favorable 
countries for the production of the most highly 
scented Roses is the middle portion of European 
Turkey, at the base of the southern slope of the 
Balkan mountains, in localities where the Roses 
are protected against all winds except those from 


