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ROSES.

THE ROSE, ROSA, Gul or gulab:  as the most universally admired, stands first amongst shrubs.  The London catalogues of this beautiful plant contain upwards of two thousand names:  Mr. Loudon, in his “Encyclopaedia of Plants” enumerates five hundred and twenty-two, of which he describes three species, viz.  Macrophylla, Brunonii, and Moschata Nepalensis, as natives of Nepal; two, viz.  Involucrata, and Microphylla, as indigenous to India, and Berberifolia, and Moschata arborea, as of Persian origin, whilst twelve appear to have come from China.  Dr. Roxburgh describes the following eleven species as inhabitants of these regions:—­

Rosa involucrata,
 —­ Chinensis, —­ semperflorens, —­ recurva, —­ microphylla, —­ inermis,
Rosa centiflora, —­ glandulifera, —­ pubescens, —­ diffusa, —­ triphylla,

most of which, however, he represents to have been of Chinese origin.

The varieties cultivated generally in gardens are, however, all that will be here described.

These are—­

1.  The Madras rose, or Rose Edward, a variety of R centifolia, Gul ssudburul, is the most common, and has multiplied so fast within a few years, that no garden is without it, it blossoms all the year round, producing large bunches of buds at the extremities of its shoots of the year, but, if handsome, well-shaped flowers are desired, these must be thinned out on their first appearance, to one or two, or at the most three on each stalk.  It is a pretty flower, but has little fragrance.  This and the other double sorts require a rich loam rather inclining to clay, and they must be kept moist.[138]

2.  The Bussorah Rose, R gallica, Gulsooree, red, and white, the latter seldom met with, is one of a species containing an immense number of varieties.  The fragrance of this rose is its greatest recommendation, for if not kept down, and constantly looked to, it soon gets straggling, and unsightly, like the preceding species too, the buds issue from the ends of the branches in great clusters, which must be thinned, if well formed fragrant blossoms are desired.  The same soil is required as for the preceding, with alternating periods of rest by opening the roots, and of excitement by stimulating manure.

3.  The Persian rose, apparently R collina, Gul eeran bears a very full-petaled blossom, assuming a darker shade as these approach nearer to the centre, but, it is difficult to obtain a perfect flower, the calyx being so apt to burst with excess of fulness, that if perfect flowers are required a thread should be tied gently round the bud, it has no fragrance.  A more sandy soil will suit this kind, with less moisture.

4.  The Sweet briar R rubiginosa, Gul nusreen usturoon, grows to a large size, and blossoms freely in India, but is apt to become straggling, although, if carefully clipped, it may be raised as a hedge the same as in England, it is so universally a favorite as to need no description.