132 THE ROSE BOOK 



feet high. It enjoys a wide distribution from Southern 

 Scotland through England and Ireland to the middle 

 of Europe. Rosa arvensis flore plena is the best-known 

 variety. It bears double white flowers, two to three 

 inches across, with the greatest freedom, and is an 

 excellent plant for the wild garden. 



Rosa canina, the familiar Dog rose of our hedges, 

 is the commonest and best known of the various British 

 roses. Its largest proportions are attained in rather 

 heavy, loamy soil, and when well placed it is sometimes 

 met with fifteen to eighteen feet high. More often, 

 however, it is found from six to eight feet high, with, 

 loose branches clothed with bright green leaves made up 

 of from five to seven leaflets and armed with numerous 

 strong, hooked prickles. The flowers appear from the 

 end of May to July, and are usually pale red or white 

 deeply suffused with red, and one and a half to two 

 inches across. They are followed by oval or oblong 

 fruits which are scarlet and orange in colour when ripe. 

 It is widely distributed through the British Isles, for it 

 is met with from the extreme north to the Chaimel 

 Islands, and occurs from sea-level to an altitude of 

 1.350 feet in Yorkshire. Its principal use is as a stock 

 upon which various kinds of garden roses are budded. 

 Numerous forms have been given varietal names. These 

 differ from the type in growth, colour, and size of 

 flowers, or colour or shape of fruit. 



Rosa hibernica. — Some doubt exists as to whether 

 this is really a species or not, and the suggestion has 

 been made that it may be a hybrid between Rosa canina 



