THE CLASSIFICATION OF ROSES. 
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say, in continuation : " This curious hybrid, 
like its Persian parent, has single yellow 
flowers, with a dark eye, and evergreen foliage." 
The fertilization part of the business is the 
mere work of a fertile imagination. When any 
one has got Rosa berberifolia, he need not 
trouble himself about whether he has it from 
the seed raised by Mons. Hardy, or the seed 
raised by his predecessors. There is no more 
variation, and no more hybrid about either, 
than there is in two plants of small salad. 
ROSA MICROPHYLLA. 
This, we are told, is nearly allied to the 
Macartney-rose ; so are the varieties of it, 
and ought not to have been separated. 
PROPOSED CLASSIFICATION. 
Upon the whole, the present classification of 
Roses is perfectly ridiculous in many respects, 
and the sooner some decided alteration is made 
the better. The florists have completely de- 
stroyed all interest in the species by producing 
superior garden varieties, and Roses ought 
now to be classed by their habits, and not by 
their parentage ; nor do we believe there is 
the least authority for one-half that is said 
about parentage. The term hybrid, as applied 
to Roses, is perfectly absurd in itself; there is 
nothing to justify it, no more indeed than there 
is to justify the term as applied to a Dahlia, 
a Tulip, or a Fuchsia. The mere seeding of 
mixed varieties, whether artificial or impreg- 
nated, makes no hybrid, although the botanical 
world chooses to call it so. The families of 
Roses should be lessened in number, and 
varied in extent, and so classed that people 
should be able to know them. The following 
classification may be very imperfect, but it 
may set others improving: — 
China and Bengal climbing, 
China and Bengal climbing Noisette, 
China and Bengal dwarf, 
China and Bengal dwarf Noisette. 
These should include the so-called China, 
Tea-scented, Miniature, and those Noisette 
Roses which have smooth wood and continuous 
growth, like the common Bengal and China- 
roses. 
The double garden Climbing-rose, 
The double garden Noisette ditto, 
The double garden dwarf, 
The double garden dwarf Noisette. 
These might comprise all the deciduous 
Roses but the Perpetuals and Moss ; whether 
Rosa Gallica, Centifolia, hybrids so called, or 
others that bloom in the summer season out of 
doors. 
PERPETUAL ROSES. 
These to comprise all those Roses which 
come out in bloom, and after a short rest start 
afresh, and bloom all over again, and so con- 
tinue until the latest autumn. There is no 
mistake about these Roses, nor can there be 
any, whether hybrids or not ; the character 
and habit decides the name and family. 
Moss-roses climbing, 
Moss-roses dwarf, 
Moss-roses climbing Noisette, 
Moss-roses dwarf Noisette. 
This would comprise those with moss on their 
calyx, separated merely into whatever depart- 
ment they belonged to. 
THE BRIARS 
would comprise all of that peculiar habit 
which nobody can mistake, and none others ; 
namely, joints short ; flowering all along the 
stem ; perfectly deciduous. The true Scotch 
Rose might be included, perhaps, in this class, 
for they are more like briars than anything else. 
CLIMBING ROSES NOT BEFORE INCLUDED. 
These may be comprised of all the kinds 
that will not by description and habit come 
under the foregoing families, some of them 
distinct in themselves, it is true, and varieties 
improperly called, though understood as hy- 
brids, not being perhaps sufficiently decided 
in their characters to be classed. 
DWARF ROSES NOT BEFORE INCLUDED. 
These would comprise all the dwarf hybrids, 
and species that will not go under any former 
distinction ; by reason, as it may be, of their 
intermediate character between China and 
garden, or evergreen and deciduous kinds. 
NOISETTES NOT BEFORE INCLUDED, 
if there be any ; but these last three classes 
are literally intended as refuge for the desti- 
tute. We see no use in so many distinctions; 
and least of all, in such distinctions, as few, if 
any common persons can understand. Now, 
according to our notions, crude as they are, 
nobody can mistake; but the idea of an indif- 
ferent person knowing or caring about the 
difference between Rosa-centifolia, Rosa Gal- 
lica, and one-half the crosses, which even the 
rose-growers themselves do not know how to 
distinguish or class — is not less absurd tban 
unprofitable. Everybody can tell whether a 
Rose is a climber or not; is deciduous or not; 
has smooth wood or not ; has moss or not ; 
is perpetual or not ; and these distinctions, so 
far as they go, ought to be complied with in 
modern catalogues, — and the first rose-dealer 
that will so class them, that all the world may 
understand them, shall have the pleasure of 
seeing it printed in this work, if he should so 
will it. We do not insist upon our mode of 
classifying them being right ; we have no 
doubt it might be greatly improved, but we 
do insist upon this : the Catalogues, as now 
published, containing more than a thousand 
