THE EOSE AND ITS CULTURE. 



2S« 



Shakespeare refers to it several times in the Mid- 

 siiuwier Xig/it's Dream, thus : — 



•' Some to Mil caiikers in the Musk Eose buds, 

 Aud stick Musk Eoses in thy sleek, smooth hair." 

 This species of Eose with its varieties is still lai-gcly 

 grovm in Spain, Persia, and Africa, and is supposed 

 to be the Eose from which the famous Otto of Eoses 

 is manufactured. It is somewhat tender, tmd flowei-s 

 in clusters in the autumn. Musk scent is less popular 

 than it used to be, and it would almost seem that 

 _ the Musk Eose had dropped part of its perfume to 

 be in harmony with the times. Certain it is that 

 it now needs a moist atmosphere, a still air, and 

 acute olfactory nerves to perceive the odour of Musk 

 in these Eoses. There are several varieties now, 

 among the best of which are White Fringed, the 

 Double White, the flowers having a dash of yeUow 

 in them ; the Princesse de Nassau, the sweetest of 

 all modern sorts, of a yellowish-pink colour ; and 

 Eivers' Musk, a creamy- white with a dash of pink in 

 the cream. The original species {Sosa mosehata) was 

 single, and was the one generally grown on walls 

 or in warm borders long, long ago. In favourable 

 situations and on warm walls the Musk Eose grows 

 freely, and a few are well worth growing for their 

 associations as well as their intrinsic merits. Ad- 

 ditional interest attaches to the Musk Eose, inasmuch 

 as it is thought to have been one of the parents — 

 the other being the Chinese — of the Noisette Eose, so 

 called after Philippe Noisette of North America, who 

 introduced that family into Europe in 1817. The 

 Kmall and curious-leaved Eose microphylla was also 

 occasionally met with, and other species, the Bour- 

 sault, AjTshire, and Evergreen Eoses, being fast 

 climbers, were likewise largely employed as waU- 

 clothers. 



Those who could appreciate the persistent flower- 

 ing properties of the common and other varieties of 

 the China Eose, that earned for it the well-deserved 

 character of "monthly" in the olden time, also 

 frequently backed it up against walls with the 

 happiest results. Eoses being scarce, and empty 

 walls plentiful, all Eoses were often placed against 

 them, and one of the most pleasing visions of the 

 past is that of a trio of the oldest Moss, Provence, 

 and Alba Eoses, planted thus — a Maiden Blush 

 in the centre, supported by the old Cabbsige and 

 the old Moss to the right and left of it. These 

 had enwreathed the entire front of a cottage, which 

 they clothed writh beauty and steeped in fragrance 

 every summer-tide, and furnished a g^od illustra- 

 tion of the fact that all Eoses will climb if you give 

 them time. This is worth remembering in these 

 days of feverish hurry and haste, and when so many 

 \igorous-growing Eoses are maishaUed ready to our 



hand, warranted to reach the summit of the highest 

 post, arch, or wall in the shortest time. 



Varieties. — Any favourite Eose, either of the 

 past or the present, may be planted against walla ; and 

 those who wish to retain something of the character 

 of the old-fashioned wall Eoses, while using more or 

 less of new material, can hardly do better than add to 

 the old Eoses, already indicated, such selections from 

 the Moss, Hybrid Chinas, Chinas, Bourbons, Nois- 

 ettes, and Hybrid Perpetuals, as follows : — 



MOSS. 



Terpetual Moss. — Pure white, flowering in clusters. 



Madame Moreau. — Bright red, sti:iped with white. 



James Veitch. — Deep violet, with crimson shading, 

 large and double. 



Mrs. Wm. Paul. — One of the best and brightest of 

 the Perpetual Moss Eoses. 



HYBRID CHINAS. 



Blairii Xo. 2. 



Coupe d'Sebe. — This is far the best of its class, 

 grows vigorously, flowers in clusters, exquisite in 

 bud, of the deepest pink, continues in flower for two 

 or more months. 



Chenodole. — Brilliant crimson, very large. 



Fulgens. — Bright crimson-scarlet. 



Madame Flantier. — Pure white. 



Miss Ingram. — Pure white, with pinky centre. 



Faul Eicaut. — Eich crimson, one of the most vivid. 



Paul Verdier. — Bright rose, large and full. 



Vivid. — Eich crimson, free and showy. 



CHINAS. 



Common Red and Pink. 



American Banner. — Yellowish-white, grand colour, 

 with rose magenta "stripes. 



Cramoisie Stiperieure. — Velvety-crimson. 



James Sprunt. — ^A cUmbing sport from the above. 



EOURBOKS. 



Gloire de Rosamene. — BrUliant in bud, though not 

 much more than semi-double when full. 



Souvenir de la Malmaison. — One of the best of the 

 pale flesh or blush Eoses. 



NOISETTES. 



Aimee Viberf. — Pure white, very fine. 



America.— ¥aie salmon -pink, shaded, in large 

 clusters. 



Celine Forestier. — Pale or primrose - yellow, in 

 clusters. 



Coquette des Blanches. — ^Extra pure white, large 

 and free. 



Jaune Desprez. — Bronzy-yellow and buff, change- 

 able, very vigorous. 



Lamarque. — Pale lemon, pure white in buds, 

 flowers in large clusters, one of the best. 



Reve d'Or. — Deep yellow, large and fuU. 



