Musk Rose. R. Moschata. This is the wild brier rose of the Himalayas, of 
enormous vigour, its great canes, frequently growing to unbelievable lengths in a 
single season. For us it thrives and blooms profusely, in sun, and almost full shade, 
but nothing can stop its lust for living. Certainly not a rose to be confined in a 
tiny city lot but wherever it can fountain in great canes, or ride a fence or cover 
some unsightly spot, the Musk Rose is unexcelled. The magnificent corymbs of 
two inch, five petalled, white flowers, through a long spring season, inspire more 
‘ahs and oohs” than anything in the display gardens. And any who know not the 
strange illusive scent of the Musk Rose, have something rare in store for them. 
The ‘Rose Amateur’s Guide,” Rivers, London, 1843, offers the following, too 
good to omit—*The White Musk Rose is one of the oldest inhabitants of our gardens 
and probably more widely spread over the face of the earth than any other rose. It 
is generally supposed that the attar of roses is prepared in India from this species, and 
that this is also the rose of the Persian poets, in the fragrant groves of which they 
love to describe their ‘bulbul’ or nightingale, as enchanting them with its tuneful 
notes. It is much more fragrant in the evening, and probably in the hot climate of 
Persia, only so in the coolness of night, when nightingales delight to sing.” 1.50 
Musk Double Seedling. (Not yet named.) Since Mr. Lester’s passing 
in December 1945, we have been watching very carefully, the performance of his 
many climbing seedlings of Musk parentage, feeling that some of them were far too 
good to die with him. Out of ten, we like best two—one labelled “Seedling No. 5,” 
the other ‘Musk Double Seedling.” We have a few of the former for customer trial 
in 1949, and more of the double. Both , in our opinion, have “glorified” the species, 
by adding sparkle to the blooms, retaining the basic plant habit and virility. In 
order to introduce these lovely roses and register customer reaction, before naming, 
we will sell the limited quantity, each at— 1.00 
Old Blush. China. (1796.) Inspiration for the poet Moore’s immortal 
poem, ‘““The Last Rose of Summer.” We call immediately on Mrs. Keays—whose 
description is not only charmingly written, but is a fair and accurate judgment— 
“Rising from the base in strong, upright stalks, each stalk branching into side 
shoots, with clusters of bloom at the ends and side shoots, Old Blush China is a 
rose to reckon with, for no other rose, old or modern, unless it be Old Blush’s 
child, the early type Noisette, blooms in more abandoned freedom, taking only a 
short rest between bursts of bloom. Each rose in the cluster is a fluttering loose 
assemblage of pink petals, deeper in the outer petals, whiter at the base, varying in 
depth of pinkness. Not fully double, with large petals, fine and lasting, the impres- 
sion is one of airiness and gaicty ... Old Blush is a rose to visit often, for being 
of a true everblooming habit it goes on its gay way all summer and until cut by 
frost. The fragrance has a sweetness dashed with a sort of acid or astringent counter- 
scent, very different from other sweet scents, not strong but stimulating and refresh- 
ing—difficult to convey in words.” 1.50 
Old Spanish Rose. Gallica. (Original name unknown.) This big shrub 
rose was discovered by the Lesters on one of their journeys through the Mother Lode 
Country—where it was known only as the “Old Spanish Rose,” and no amount of 
research since has discovered a more accurate name for it. From early to late spring, 
it is covered with two inch double blooms, similar in form to the Provence Roses, 
starting from deep, rich magenta, which progresses to dark violet in the open flower. 
For best effect it must be helped in “shedding its dead” otherwise the beauty of the 
opening buds is marred by the older blooms, which are much too persistent in their 
desire to remain. Thrives on neglect with us and should be hardy anywhere. 1.50 
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