32 
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FINE ROSE. 
Whether this is to climb the front of a house, bloom on the ground, 
or mount poles or other devices, fragrance is one of the great charms 
which place the Rose on the throne of the garden as the Queen of 
Flowers. 
3. The flower should be double to the centre, high on the crown, 
round in the outline, and regular in the disposition of the petals. 
This would seem to be a little contradictory, after saying, that in a 
Moss Rose, the full-blown flower cannot be allowed, because it con¬ 
ceals the grand characteristic of the plant. But it is not contradictory, 
because we defend it on grounds which render doubleness equally 
valuable to the Moss family, which should not be shown in full bloom, 
as to those which are so exhibited. The more double the flower, even 
when amounting to confusion, the more full and beautiful the bud in 
all its stages. Those who have noticed the single and semi-double 
Moss Roses will remember that the buds are thin and pointed, and 
starved-looking affairs, while the old common Moss Rose, which is 
large and double as the Cabbage Rose, is bold, full, rich, and effective, 
from the instant the calyx bursts. At this point, we shall have to 
branch off and take families; perhaps the Moss Rose family is the best 
to commence with. Those who now follow through the different 
species or varieties, will find the first three rules are essential to all, 
and are therefore repeated with each division. 
Properties Moss Roses. 
1. The petals should be thick, broad, and smooth at the edges. 
2. The flower should be highly perfumed, or, as the dealers call it, 
fragrant. 
3. The flower should be double to the centre, high on the crown, 
round in the outline, and regular in the disposition of the petals. 
4. The quantity of moss, the length of the spines, or prickles, which 
form it, and its thickness, or closeness, on the stems, leaves, and calyx, 
cannot be too great. ♦ 
This being the distinguishing characteristic of Moss Roses, the 
more strongly it is developed the better. 
5. The length of the divisions of the calyx, and the ramifications 
at the end, cannot be too great. As the entire beauty is in the unde- 
