A Brief History of the Roses at Fort Nathan Hale
Rosa Rugosa is the botanical name
of the rose hedge surrounding the Memorial Flag Court at Fort
Nathan Hale, and which also grows wild around the historic bunkers
in the fort area.
This variety of wild rose was first found in Northern
China, Korea and Japan. It was brought to America and "escaped"
to grow wild in the seashore areas of New England as early as
1845.
The rugosa rose is described as having upright,
stout stems with dense bristles and prickly covering. The leaves
are lustrous and dark green, resistant to insects and to the
storms of the seashore, thriving on salt spray. The pink and
white flowers are single blooms of about three inches across;
in the fall they produce prolific red fruit of an inch in diameter.
The fruit of the rose is known as "rose hips," and
in areas like Cape Cod is made into jelly and jam to sell to
tourists. The rose fruit has long been used as a natural source
of vitamin C and used medicinally. The rose is in the same botanical
family as the apple.
Members of the rose family have been found in fossil
form in Asia and North America. These have been estimated to
be at
least thirty-five million years old. The rose is probably
the most
popular garden plant in the world. Georgia, Iowa, New York,
North Dakota, and the District of Columbia all have the
rose as their
state flower. The rose is the national flower of England.
Records of the existence of the rose have turned up in early
histories
of Babylon, Greece and Rome. Roses were found portrayed on
coins as early as 4000 B.C.
ROSE HIP JAM
In the early fall, pick plump, red hips to make 4 lbs. Wash
and take off stems. Place in a stainless steel pot with 4 cups
of water and simmer until fruit is tender. Rub through a fine
sieve or strainer. Weigh the pulp. For each lb. of pulp add 1
lb. of sugar. Add 2 apples, peeled and cored, if desired. Simmer
until thick. Place jam in sterilized jelly jars. Seal with paraffin.
(Four lbs. of picked hips yields about one lb. of pulp, enough
for four medium-sized jars of jelly.)
ROSE HIP SOUP
Crush in a stainless steel or enamel pot 2 cups of fresh rose
hips. Cover with 1 quart of water. Simmer covered for about 45
minutes. Strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Add enough
fruit juice (orange, peach, or raspberry) to make 1 quart of
liquid. Mix 1 Tbs. arrowroot with 1/3 cup honey and add to liquid.
Simmer until thick. Chill well and garnish with whipped cream
and slivered nuts.
