The common pink china rose is one of the easiest roses to model. Five petals of Nos. i, 2, 3, 4, and three of No. 5, will be required. They are to be cut out of the medium white wax, and bloomed on both sides, leaving, of course, the points untouched. They are then to be colored by rubbing rose-madder into them; beginning in the centre, and shading the color gradually to the edges, so that the deepest color is to be in the middle of the petals. In most roses, the inner petals are altogether deeper in color than the outer ones ; but this rose is an exception, and the outer petals have more color than the others. They may, perhaps, require a touch of rose-lake or crimson over the first color; and the three outer petals will need various dashes of a deeper tint on the upper edges, and across them on the outer side, especially if the rose is beginning to wane.

Fig. 120. - The Common Pink China or Monthly Rose.

Roses require extreme attention in moulding. Almost all rose-petals are more or less crumpled; and this crumpling must be imitated, in order to give an accurate model of the flower. Fine the edges well with the smallest curling-pin first, and then roll a larger one round and round in the centre of the petal, so as to hollow it completely; and put a little plait at the bottom of the petal, so as to pucker it in a little. This is easily done with the pin, when the petal is softened by the warmth of the hand or by the breath, if the wax seems brittle, and inclined to split. Nos. 3, 4, and 5 will require to be turned back at the upper edges by rolling them over the curling-pin point; and the three outer petals (No. 5) will often need a good deal of crumpling between the fingers, and perhaps a fold all down the centre. The edges, too, may be a little bitten by insects; and any defect of this kind, copied, adds to the perfection of the imitation of the blossom. The rose must be mounted on a thick wire stalk, prepared with a foundation-bud like that of the camellia, but larger. The first two smaller petals wrap it round entirely; and the three remaining ones must be put standing up round the bud, nearly touching each other at the upper edges. These are bound on with a narrow strip of white wax, well rubbed in by the moulding-tool. Then the next row of petals is put on behind the others (one side always lapping over the other), each petal between two front ones, a little raised, so as just to appear above these; and this is bound on with another strip; and so on. Nos. 4 and 5 should fall back a little; and the three outer petals should be placed rather below the last row, so as scarcely to be visible in front of the rose. The five sepals of the calyx (No. 6) are to be cut out in two shades of green wax, snipped at the edges, and well moulded in the hand, and pinched into points, and put on so that the points may come between the five larger petals, over the three outer ones. The seed-pod is made by rolling a doubled strip of green wax round and round the wire stalk, and moulding it with a moulding-tool exactly into the shape of the seed-pod, and, when it is quite smooth and round, pushing it up into its place below the sepals. This part of the rose must be very nicely finished, so as exactly to imitate the back of the real rose. The stalk must be covered with strips of green wax, to make it of the required thickness, and the leaves (and buds if there are to be any) put on in their proper positions. If the buds are green, they must be made by putting the five sepals round a small foundation-bud, mounted on a wire stalk, and closing them up at the points. If they are beginning to show their color, three of the rose-petals No. 1 must be put round the foundation-bud first. If opening still more, three of No. 2 will be wanted, also, before the sepals are put on. A smaller seed-pod is to be made, and pushed up under these, as in the full-blown flower, and it must be neatly finished in the same manner, observing and imitating every peculiarity of the original; binding the stalk, if required, and tinging it and the sepals and seed-pod with a little liquid carmine paint, or brown, if they are colored thus in nature.

The leaves are modelled in the same way as directed for the camellia-leaves; and great care must be taken to get the exact impression of every vein in the real rose-leaves, to mould and curl the edges, and to mount each spray accurately. Small bracts, or stipules, are sometimes needed where it is attached to the flower-stalk; and these and the edges of the leaves may require a little coloring, as well as the stalks.