NATIONAL ROSE CONFERENCE. 



217 



valuable communication. lie did not agree with a good deal that 

 was said in it, but it w T as one of those papers which excited dis- 

 cussion. It was very desirable that they should strike out into 

 new lines, because it would seem that they had reached the end 

 of their tether as regards Hybrid Perpetuals. 



Mr. Fish said it was most important that the perfume of the 

 leaves as well as of the flowers should be thought of. If they 

 could get back to the Sweet Briar that end would be accomplished. 

 The improvement of foliage should not be lost sight of. 



Lord Penzance's gardener (Mr. Baskett) said his lordship had 

 been carrying out several experiments in the direction indicated 

 by Mr. Fish. 



SKETCH OF A NEW CLASSIFICATION OF BOSES. 

 By Professor Fkancois Crepin, 

 Director of the Botanic Garden, Brussels. 



The first attempt to classify the species of the genus Rosa 

 dates from 1818 ; it is due to A. P. de Candolle. Other pro- 

 posed schemes of classification were successively published by 

 Lindley (1820), Thory (1820), Trattinick (1823), Seringe (1827), 

 Wallroth (1828), Selbsther (1832), T. Moore (1848), K.Koch 

 (18G9), Kegel (1877), Baker (1885 and 1889), and Focke (1889). 



In our turn we now propose a new classification. We have 

 not the presumption to think that our arrangement is perfect, 

 but we believe that it subdivides the genus in a more natural 

 way than does any former classification. 



Addressing ourselves here specially to Rose cultivators, we 

 have not considered it necessary to discuss the principles which 

 have influenced us in grouping the species, nor to enter into 

 arguments as to their relative value. 



ROSA, Tournefort. 



Sect. I. — Synstyljs, De Candolle. 



Styles united to each other, forming a projecting* column, 



equalling the stamens or slightly shorter ; sepals reflexed after 



flowering, caducous, the outer ones pinnate, rarely entire ; 



inflorescence few- or many-flowered, with narrow bracts ; stipules 



* In some species with styles normally included, the styles may by acci- 

 dent become projecting, forming a column protruding beyond the neck of 

 the receptacle. 



