The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-10-01
Price: So per Annum, Single Copy 5 Cents.

Supplied its perfume, while Flora
| crowned it with a diadem that was to-
distinguish it as the queen of flowers.
The Rose may truly be called cosmo-
politan, as it is found in almost every
country, and is everywhere equally
priced for its delicate perfume and use
ful properties
Among the ancients it was highly val
ued, and from the earliest times the vir-
tues and attractions have been appreci-
ated, and its charms have caused it to
be interviewer with the history, romance
and poetry of all ages.
The Rose tree is supposed to be ma
tive OF the east, as the word Syria signi-
hes The Land of Roses" and one of
its richest varieties bears the name of
one of the world oldest cities.
Chaplets of Roses were early worn on
testlve occasions, and Roses contributed
largely to the adornment of the luxuri-
GUS homes of the Greeks and Romans.
The first Rose ever seen is said to
have been given by Cupid to Harpo-
crates, the god of science, to engage him
to preserve the secret of the armours of
his mother, Venus hence, it became
the symbol of silence among the ancients
and was carved on the ceilings of their
banqueting halls, and as it was con-
sidered breach of honor to reveal
whatever transpired during their convi-
vialties, the expression, "sub rosa,''
was used to denote secresy.
The island of Rhodes received its
name, according to some authorities,
from the abundance and sweetness of
its roses, and many Of it's coins. still ex-
tant, are said to bear the figure of this
| flower on the reverse, and now, as in
ancient times, the breezes from that
| fertile isle are scented with delicious
! rpefume.
| The inhabitants OF Sybaris were So
effeminate in their habits of life that
their couches were formed Of the velvet
| petals of the Rose, and the luxurious
| HellOgabalus caused roses to be strewn
upon his guests unit: they formed car
i pet MANY inches thick beneath their
| feet, and filled the air with their fra
grance.
The rose is the national emblem 81
England; on the eve of the struggle be-
tween the houses of york and Lancas-
/ ter, a dispute took place in the Temple
Gardens, as to the rights of the rival
factions; the heads of the factions, the
| Dukes of Warwick and Somerset, ap-
| pealed to their friends to take sides in
| the CONTROVERSY, but they declined to
commit themselves; whereupon War
wick plucked a white rose, and Somer-
! set red one, each inviting his partisans
to follow his example, and the innocent
flowers thus became the badges of the
contending armies in the romantic "NVar
of the Roses which ensued.
The city of Psestum on the coast of
| Italy, was celebrated for it's exquisite
| roses, which were further remarkable
for blooming twice year, and even now,
when its three beautiful temples have
fallen into decay and only few scat
tered stones mark the site of it's once no.
BILE ediices, here and there struggling
rose-bush is still to be seen surviving
the general ruin, and blossoming each
May and December, lending peculiar
charm to the deserted city; it may be
partially due to these faithful sentinels
which soften hard outlines, and cover
with living mantle the dull, inanimate
stones, that the ruins OF this once beauti-
full city still attracts the attention of the
tourist, and are considered the most
beautiful in the world
Unlike many beautiful objects, the
rose possesses utility which is wonder
full. From it is distilled the Altar of
Roses, which forms an article of COM
merce in Syria, India and Persia.
# vi JIllS eSSGIlCc is dI-f
tended with so much difficulty and ex-
pense that the cost of single drop is
almost fabulous; but is so extremely
powerful that vessel which has once
contained even the smallest portion of it
will retain the delicious odor many years
after the last drop has disappeared.
In pharmacy it is used quite extern
sively, whole fields of roses being cult
waited for the apothecary's use alone,
from which he produces variety of
compounds and extracts, among which
are the ointment of roses, soothing in
cases OF inflammation; vinegar Of roses,
pleasant and refreshing remedy for
headache; conserve of roses, which was
considered by the ancients sovereign
specific for cold honey and oil of
roses, besides the many perfumes for
the toilet, flavoring extracts and many
other compounds, all equally popular
and pleasant. ~ ai8k
The green leaves Of the Sweet Brier
can be dried and used as a substitute
for tea; the fragrant petals of the flower
are reduced to paste and formed into
amulets, charms, and beads; the rosa
ries used by some in devotional exer-
cises are supposed to have been made +
originality in this way, and received L
| their name accordingly