The Field Rose 



treble or quadruple this number, for these plants often 

 cross among themselves and vary considerably from 

 type, so that exact definition is difficult. 



There is, however, really no excuse for confusing 

 the Dog Rose {R. canina) and the subject of our 

 charming illustration, the Field Rose {R. arvensis) ; 

 their characters are quite distinct, the first is of a 

 robust and glowing type, the second of a more 

 fragile and clinging nature. The Field Rose has 

 pure white blossoms untouched by the blush that 

 characterises the dog rose ; its stems rarely or 

 never show the strong, upstanding shoots armed 

 with great, cruel teeth that the dog rose does ; they 

 are far slighter and more dependent upon the hedge- 

 side for support, often traihng many feet upon or 

 through it, and their teeth are but small and far 

 fewer and much less aggressive. The prickles in 

 both roses are hooked, and thus when a young 

 shoot has pushed through the hedge and its prickles 

 have developed it can never shde back again — the 



little hooks would offer resistance at every point. 



77 



