The first production of the white Moss Rose, which took place in the year 1788, was from a sucker or underground shoot. Mr. Shailer states: "My father, Henry Shailer, nurseryman, of Little Chelsea, an extensive grower of Moss Roses (a fact which is set forth in Faulkner's "History of Chelsea"), perceiving it to be a lusus natures from a stool of the red Moss, cut it off and budded it on the White Provence, or Rose La Blanche Unique. The buds flowered the following season a pale blush; he budded them again the following season, and it became much whiter; it was then figured in Andrews' "Rosary" under the name of Shail-er's White Moss. He then sold it at five guineas per plant, a price at which he continued to sell it for three years; he then entered into a contract for its sale with Messrs. Lee and Kennedy of Hammersmith, they taking as many plants as he could grow for three years at 20s. per plant, binding him not to sell to any one else under ten guineas per plant. After cutting down the shoots which produced the White Moss, it threw up two weak shoots from which he budded. They flowered the second season from the buds; that was the birth of the striped Moss Rose, a beautiful and delicate variety; but when grown strongly apt to go back to the original parent.

The first production of the single Moss Rose, 1807, was a sport of nature. My father sent some plants of Moss Roses down to a nurseryman of the name of Essex, at Colchester; on the receipt of a letter from that person I went with my father to see it when it was in bloom; I took some cuttings away with me to bud, and fetched the original plant away in the following autumn to our nursery at Little Chelsea; from there we sent out the first plants at five shillings each. On the first production of the old scarlet Moss Rose, which is a semi-double, it flowered on a plant given to his brother, Mr. F. Shailer, of Cook's Ground and Queen's Elm, Chelsea, 1808, nurseryman; the first production of the Moss De Meaux was from a sport of Nature from the old De Meaux, in the neighborhood of Bristol, but brought into a high state of perfection by the Messrs. Lee, of Hammersmith. In regard to the birth of the Sage-leaved Moss Rose, that I must claim myself - it was a sport of Nature. I discovered it on a Sunday afternoon in June, 1813. I sold the whole stock to Messrs. Lee. It is a delicate shell like form and a beautiful blush, now nearly extinct. As to the first known production of Rose La Blanche Unique or White Provence, it was discovered by Mr. Daniel Grimwood, of Little Chelsea, nurseryman.

He was in Norfolk in July, 1775, and when riding leisurely along the road he perceived a Rose of great whiteness in a mill garden. He alighted, and on close inspection discovered it to be a Provence rose; he then paid a guinea to be allowed to cut a flower, and in cutting it he cut off three buds; he went to the first inn, packed it up, and sent it direct to my father, who was then his foreman, requesting him to bud it, which he did and two of the buds grew. In the following autumn, he went down to the same place, when, for five guineas he brought the whole stock away; he then made an arrangement with my father to propagate it, allowing 5s. per plant for three years, at the expiration of which time he sold it out at one guinea per plant, my father's share amounting to upwards of L300. Mr. Grimwood sent the owner of the mill a superb silver tankard, etc, to the amount of ,£60. Lastly, comes the birth of Shailer's Provence, or Rosa gracilis, so named by Messrs. Lee; it was raised from the seeds of the Spineless or Virgin's rose, sown by myself in 1799, and flowered in 1802. We raised numerous varieties from seed up to 1816, and generally sold them to Messrs. Lee, who sent them out under their own naming".

From this interesting account, we learn that the roses fetched much more money when sent out in those days than they do now. We also get information as to the origin of some of the choicer roses of those days. - Gardening Illustrated. «