PREFACE TO NEW EDITION.

Some forty years ago the commencement and partial preparation of this work assisted to beguile¹ the tedium² of a winter’s residence from home, where even Orange and Magnolia groves³ with the novel vegetation of a semi-tropical region, could scarcely dispel⁴ the ennui⁵ attending a life of idleness.

We were then fresh from contact with some earnest rose lovers abroad. Rivers in England had impressed us with his enthusiastic energy, and, in Paris, the force of Hardy⁶, the industry of Vibert and the charming manners of Laffay left enjoyable memories. For many interesting facts we were much indebted to Deslongchamps and several anonymous⁷ writers. To the former our obligations were due, both for the plan of this work and for many researches to which his name could not be conveniently attached on its pages.

Upon the classification we bestowed⁸ much thought, and now, after many years, we think it is still the best we could have made. Rose growers will, we think, find the labor⁹ of selection much diminished by its simplicity¹⁰.

In directions for culture, we give the results of our own experience, and have not hesitated to avail ourselves of any satisfactory results in the experience of others which might enhance the utility of the work.

In the list of sorts published with the first edition there were nearly two thousand names. So great has[Pg 4] been the increase of varieties in forty years that it would be a work of labor to enumerate¹¹ them. Some of the best varieties in the first edition are still the best, and in revising the list of sorts we have not thrown out all of these. Of the newer hardy sorts we have adopted some which are recommended by Mr. Paul, and many others of which our judgment¹² is confirmed by that of Mr. John Henderson, whose opinion cannot be questioned. The large scale on which Mr. Henderson has for many years forced roses for cut flowers makes his opinion of tender classes especially valuable, and we have placed in our list, without hesitation¹³, his favorite sorts.

We have stricken out much of the poetry, which to the cultivator may have seemed irrelevant¹⁴ if not worthless, and for the interest of the classical scholar, have retained much of the early history of the Rose, and its connection with the manners and customs of the two great nations of a former age.

For our labor we shall feel abundantly compensated¹⁵, if this work, in its revised form, shall in any way tend to produce a more general admiration¹⁶ and increased culture of the most beautiful flower known.

Flushing, N. Y., December, 1887.

1 beguile   

vt.欺骗，消遣

参考例句：

• They are playing cards to beguile the time.他们在打牌以消磨时间。
• He used his newspapers to beguile the readers into buying shares in his company.他利用他的报纸诱骗读者买他公司的股票。

2 tedium   

n.单调；烦闷

参考例句：

• We played games to relieve the tedium of the journey.我们玩游戏，来解除旅行的沉闷。
• In myself I could observe the following sources of tedium. 从我自己身上，我所观察到的烦闷的根源有下列一些。

3 groves   

树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The early sun shone serenely on embrowned groves and still green fields. 朝阳宁静地照耀着已经发黄的树丛和还是一片绿色的田地。
• The trees grew more and more in groves and dotted with old yews. 那里的树木越来越多地长成了一簇簇的小丛林，还点缀着几棵老紫杉树。

4 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

5 ennui   

n.怠倦，无聊

参考例句：

• Since losing his job,he has often experienced a profound sense of ennui.他自从失业以来，常觉百无聊赖。
• Took up a hobby to relieve the ennui of retirement.养成一种嗜好以消除退休后的无聊。

6 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

7 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

8 bestowed   

赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。
• He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。

9 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

10 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

11 enumerate   

v.列举，计算，枚举，数

参考例句：

• The heroic deeds of the people's soldiers are too numerous to enumerate.人民子弟兵的英雄事迹举不胜举。
• Its applications are too varied to enumerate.它的用途不胜枚举。

12 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

13 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

14 irrelevant   

adj.不恰当的，无关系的，不相干的

参考例句：

• That is completely irrelevant to the subject under discussion.这跟讨论的主题完全不相关。
• A question about arithmetic is irrelevant in a music lesson.在音乐课上，一个数学的问题是风马牛不相及的。

15 compensated   

补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款）

参考例句：

• The marvelous acting compensated for the play's weak script. 本剧的精彩表演弥补了剧本的不足。
• I compensated his loss with money. 我赔偿他经济损失。

16 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。