The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1898-09-03
EvOLUTICG CT THE ROSE.
Queen of Flower the Result of Con-
turic3 G. .u!tivation.


turic3 c. ultivation.
While all acknowledge the beauty
of the JacquemiLct, the sweetbriar
and other fayoritgs gf the garden, and
welcome with delight the fragrant
Noisettes and Mcrmets of the florist,
it is doubtful if there are many who
appreciate the practical side Of the
rose and its family. Grant Allen, in
his interesting study of the genealogy
Of the rose, traces it back to the Gin
quefoil and potentilla. He also shows
ushow the birds and insects have aided
in the evolution Of the strawberry
that luscious embodiment Of the frag-
rance Of the rose-from the dry, in
edible fruit of the potentilla.
We know that the modern rose Of
the garden and greenhouse has been
cultivated for centuries to gain size,
color or fragrance by judicious cross
ing Of the earlier types. Thus the
Bourbon has for its progeDitors Rosa
Galicia, a native Of southern Europe,
and Rosa centifolia, a native Of Cau-
casus, while the monthly and tea
roses, with the Noisettes, spring from
the Chinese Rosa indica. A volume
might be written on the origin and
beauty of the rose, which has several
hundred varieties in its own suborder.
Many Of our most beautiful shrubs
are close relatives, as the towering al
mond and Japan ounce, cultivated in
New England gardens, and the wild
service, whose blossoms whiten our
woodside roads early in spring. Be-
cause the blossoms appear at the sea-
son when shad run" this tree is soften
called the shadbush, while its edible
berries bear the name of the month in
which they ripen--June.
The rose family has numerous
branches, and as it possesses wonder
ful adaptabiIity to differences of eli
mate, it is widely dispersed. The ap-
pie, pear, ounce, apricot, peach,
plum, cherry, raspberry, blackberry
and strawberry all belong 10 the fam
lily, which is distinguished by owning
no black sheep Every branch is
wholesome and of use to mankind.
Existing in the barkand roots Of most
ot the order sanastrlngent principle,
which Is occasionally used III medicine
as the bark Of the wild cherry in
tonlcS.
The roots Of s'itenia and aSrlmony
were formerly used incidentally, and
the fruit of the blackberry still forms
he bass OF a cordial used for the re-
lief Of summer complaints. The
kernels of the almond and peach for
the sole exception to the general
Wholcsomeness OF bosaccae. as they |
contain prusslc acid, deadly poison,
md the leaves of the common cherry
laurel yield a hydrocyanated oil,
The OIL Of bitter almonds, kDSwn to
as ben2oic sh'chvde, is
made by maceratingand dlstflling the
kernels and is initiated by the sub
stance known as nitrobenzene, which
: also poisonous. A fine oil expressed
rom the sweet almond is used in food |
md medicine. as well as in the manu-
.acture Of soap and perfumes. 1t is,
however, liable to adulteration with |
,lIs made from the kernels of peach, |
Ipricot, plum, or cherry. The plum
md nectarine result from long culti-
'ation Of the common blackthorn, a
humble relative Of the rose. The |
.herry, most familiar in the varieties
# black heart, oxtseart and NAV duke
a corruption Of the French Medoc), |
5 valuable in the wild black species
or the fine grain Of its wood, which is
much used in cabinet work.
But the branch of the family which |
ministers to the luxurious as well as
element in human nature is,
fter all, the rose itself; for in
loumeha, India, and the south of
rance lie great farms wherein the
or cabbage rose, is cultivated
or the essential oil which is obtained |
rom the petals. The flowers. gath
red before sunrise, are distilled dur
lg the same day in double their