THE CLIMBING PRAIRIE ROSE. 



197 



"sulphurea," with yellow flowers and deep green foliage, 

 beautifully mottled with reddish purple or brown spots^ 



Variety "minor" is mentioned in text-books, and often 

 advertised. It generally grows in more sandy soil, and, 

 in fact, is nothing but a less vigorous grower with smaller 

 leaves and flowers, the latter being from i>i to 2 inches 

 across. All of these varieties are of the one species, Xym- 

 phaa odorata, and in general appearance some of them 

 differ from each other to a greater extent than X. reni- 

 formis does from our common lily. It is called the 

 " Tuber-bearing water-lily, " and was identified and de- 



scribed as a distinct species in 1865 by Dr. J. A. Paine, 

 of Oneida county, New York, who called it X. tubcj-osa. 

 It is said to have larger leaves, with cup-shaped flowers 

 4 '2 to 9 inches across. The petals are broader and 

 blunter, nearly scentless, but with a slight apple-like 

 odor. It differs more especially in bearing numerous 

 simple or compound tubers upon the root-stock, which 

 resemble Jerusalem artichokes, and spontaneously de- 

 tach themselves. 



Connecticut . J.\mes Shepard. 



[to be continued.] 



A Clump of Rosa setigera at -mb Kansas Agricultural Coellge. (From a photograph. 



THE CLIMBING PRAIRIE-ROSE. 



ROSA SETIGERA, the climbing prairie-rose, is 

 indigenous to the central states, and is found 

 growing wild to the south and west. Its west- 

 ern limit runs through the southeastern part of 

 Kansas, where it is often found in old pastures 

 and along the edges of timber-belts. The plant has a 

 loose, running, rank, and withal a graceful habit of 

 growth. In early July it loads itself with bunches of 

 pretty pink single flowers, and is then quite as attractive 

 as many of the more improved varieties of the species. 

 Over 20 varieties, including such common ones as Balti- 

 more Belle and Prairie Queen, have been derived from 

 this species, and are in more or less general cultivation. 

 But we prefer to direct attention to the original species 



as it is found growing wild on the American prairies. In 

 this form it is one of the most interesting of all those in- 

 digenous plants which are being used more and more by 

 gardeners who attempt tasty natural effects rather than 

 the more elegant artificial constructions, such as neces- 

 sarily involve the highly improved cultivated varieties. 

 Rosa scligci-ci is always worthy of the attention of the 

 planter who wants something pretty rather than some- 

 thing rare. 



Its graceful, free-growing and peculiarly wild appear- 

 ance preclude its use on a smoothly shaven lawn, along 

 a straight front walk, against the front veranda, or in any 

 other formal surroundings ; but the same habits will 

 equally recommend it to places where propriety in the 



