The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-07-18
The land of the Roses.

1t is probbbly not generally known that
the region in which General GourkhO
has been lately operating with his Cos
sacks is the land whencs by far the great
est quantity of Ottar of roses comes to
Western Europe. Kasanlink, the name
of which has so often figured lately as a
point of strategicsl importance, Is also
the central point of one of the most re.
markable species of horticulture, or
rather agriculture, 10 be found in the
whole world. Around it, or near it, are
the districts Of Cirpan, Giopea, Kara
dash Dagh, Kojuu-Tepe, Yeni SaehTa,
all of which are devoted to this peculiar
husbandry. The Mussulman tradition
assigns the origin Of the rose to the
night of Mohammed's s journey to heaven.
The white roses spTaDg from the drops
of sweat which fell from the blessed fore
head of the prophet himself in the toll
some ascent; the sweat of BOTak, the
miraculous animal he rode, gave birth to
the yellow ones, while the celestial drOTs
which fell from Gabriel were the source
of the red rose. The appearance of the
neighborhOod OF Kasanlik would favor 8
suspicion that the heavenward Journey
must have sUreiy tried the arcbangel,
and Count Won MOlLke, who was well
acquainted with Bulgaria and the Bal
kaIs, hiss styled the valley of the Tundia,
The Cashmere Of Europe, the Turkish
Gulistan, the land of roses"
Roses are not grown there as with us,
in isolated patches in gardens, but in
fields and in ridges, us if they were no
better than potatoes. It would be diff
ficult to imagine anything more Charm
ing than the appearance of those rose
fields, and any painter who should at
tempt to reproduce this picture would
assuredly be charged with exaggeration.
But it would be impossible to catch the
infinite alterations of color, both among
the roses themselves and the green leaves
of the shrubs. HuudIeds OF millions of
rose leaves stTew the ground and are
useless for the chief objects in view. 1t
is calculated that about ODe-iOurth of
the leaves are lest in this way; perhaps
as much more either fail to come to the
requisite perfection or are unaYOidably
wasted. The entire produce of the
TeKne, or region of which Kasanlik is
the center, If estimated at between eight
hundred and nine hundred kilogrammen
(from one hundred and niDety~fve to TWO
hundred and twenty imperial gailons) of
rose oil.
prodjgious; springs are not only nUmer-
Gus, but most abundant in yield. There
is a general system of irrigation, which,
remembering that the country is Bul-
garia and not LOmbardy, is admirable.
The whole valley was picture of pros
perity, the result of natural fertility,
carefully nUrtuTed by human industry.
When roses are not cultivated, heavy
crops of maize are gathered, and along
the slopes and down by the wateTside
are numerous herds ald fi0cks KSs8n-
lik itself Is a town of ten thousand in
habitaUts, and IS surrounded by mag
nifcent walnut woods, which are also q
source of commercial industry.
Won Moltke speaks of the situation as
one OF the rarest beauty. Many of the
trees, he says, cover an extent of one
hundred feet with their spreading
branches, while countless wild pigeons
fill the woods with their cooling. The
murmuring or the rush Of waters is
heard in every direction; the sky itself
presents perpetually changing aspects by
reason OF the neighbOring mountains;
while the deliciously fresh air is redolent
with delicate perfume. About twenty
FIVE miles tC the southeast of KasRnlik,
and divided from the Tundis valley by
range OF nils, Il Eskl-SaEnrS, d LOWn
of eighteen thousand inhabitants, also q
notable industrial center, the best silk
and the finest wheat IN Turkey being
produced in the surrounding district.
With such diIigent husbandmen, a
moderately fair government would soon
make the whole of Southern Bulgaria
the richest and most productive country
in Europe. The campaign of which these
beautiful and fertile valleys are now
the theater will Fave probably ruined
the rose culture at lesst for many a
YeaT