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R. wichuraiana (the Memorial Rose)-Plate 4-is a native of Korea and Eastern China, and has evergreen foliage. The German botanist Wichura introduced it into Europe in 1886, but it was not until 1902 that Perkins, of America, distributed the first Hybrid Wichuraiana, Dorothy Perkins, the result of crossing the species with a Hybrid Perpetual. It was soon followed by others, almost all climbers with long flexible canes. In 1909 came the Orleans Rose, from M. Levavasseur, of Orleans, marking the beginning of still another new type. It was a pink descendant of R. folycmtha. Very soon, mostly by sporting, this type became quite numerous and varied in colour.

It is noteworthy that in this development there had been seven main species as ancestors. Only one (R. gallica) was indigenous to Europe, while six came from Asia. They are R. chinensis, R. odorata, R. polyantha, R. vnchuraiana, R. Amnct scena, and R. foetida. The last two came, respectively, from around Damascus, and, as already stated, from the southern boundaries of Europe and Asia. The other four are all Chinese in origin.

Equally notable is the part played by Frenchmen, particularly from districts round Lyons, in this development. Probably the greatest work in modern rose hybridizing is still being done in this same district. Guillot, Pernet-Ducher, Gaujard, Meil-land, Mallerin, and others have been not only great hybridists but have made the great forward steps in rose history, except the raising of the Tea Rose and the Hybrid Wichuraiana.

Hybrids of R. gigcmtea, first- and second-generation crosses, have been given to the rose world by the late Mr Alister Clark and others. They are evergreen and ever-blooming roses eminently suited to temperate zones, where neither extreme heat nor extreme cold interferes with these characteristics. Discovered in Burma in 1888, R. gigcmtea (Plate 23) is a rampant climber with big five-petalled white flowers and handsome large glossy disease-resistant foliage. It blooms only in early spring. The characteristic foliage is retained in most of the hybrids.

In still more recent years many nurseries have sent out roses of yet another type. They vary greatly in form from singles to doubles, and from small florets to blooms of almost the size of a small Hybrid Tea, but all are characterized by bearing their blooms in groups or panicles. From this habit they have come to be called Floribundas or Hybrid Polyanthas-preferably the former. Karen Poulsen-Plate 2-(Poulsen, 1932), Madge Prior (Prior, 1934) and Orange Triumph-Plate 4-(Kordes, 1937) were early members of this group. At the present time nearly as many Floribunda novelties as new Hybrid Teas are being distributed each year.