16 



PARSONS ON THE ROSE. 



in autumn of its OAvn accord, yet it cannot always be re- 

 lied upon to do so. During tiie early period of the French 

 monarchy, when none of the Remontant Roses were 

 known, and this species was common, it was considered 

 quite a phenomenon to see them appear naturally in win- 

 ter. Gregory, of Tours, speaking of the year 584, says, 

 " This year many prodigies appeared, and many calami- 

 ties afflicted the people, for roses were seen blooming in 

 January, and a circle was formed around the sun." And 

 of the year 589 he says, " This year trees blossomed in 

 autumn, and bore fruit the second time, and roses ap- 

 peared in the ninth month." 



R, centifolia^Xm. — The huis-dred-petaled, Prove:n^ce, 

 OR Cabbage Rose. — Synonyms, R. provincial is, Mill. 

 R. polyantbos, JRossig. R. caryophyllea. Pair. R. ungui- 

 culata, Z>65/. R. varians, PoA^. Prickles unequal, the larger 

 ones falcate. Leaflets ciliated with glands. Flowers 

 drooping. Calyxes clammy. Fruit oblong. Native of 

 Eastern Caucasus, in groves. Flowers white or red ; sin- 

 gle, but most commonly double. 



This species is distinguished from J?. Damascena by the 

 sepals not being reflexed, and the flowers having their 

 petals curved inwards, so as, in the double state, to give 

 the flower the appearance of the heart of a cabbage, 

 whence the name of the Cabbage Rose. Its fruit is either 

 oblong or roundish, but never elongated. From Gal-, 

 Ilea it is distinguished by the flowers being drooping, and 

 by the larger size of the prickles, with a more robust 

 habit. A shrub, growing from three feet to six feet high, 

 and flowering in June and July. When this rose becomes 

 unthrifty from age, it is renewed by cutting ofl* the stems 

 close to the ground as soon as the flowers have fallen; 

 shoots will then be produced, sufficiently vigorous to fur- 

 nish a beautiful and abundant bloom the following spring. 



Vci7neties, Above one hundred varieties have been as- 

 signed to this species, and classed in three divisions : 



