[From The Rose Garden, Tenth Edition, by William Paul, pp. 242-3:] The History of the Moss Rose is wrapped in obscurity. It was first introduced to England from Holland in 1596, and it is generally believed that it was a sport [or mutation] from the Provence Rose... Some groups of Roses are more disposed to sport than others; and the Provence and Moss Roses possess this peculiar property in a remarkable degree. [Paul has] seen the White Moss bearing at the same time, and on the same plant, red, white, and variegated flowers. [He has] also seen the Perpetual White Moss, whose flowers should be white, produce pink flowers entirely destitute of moss. [Paul was] informed, and [thought] it probable, that the Moss Unique was first obtained in this manner; a branch of the White Provence Rose produced flowers enveloped in moss; the branch was propagated from; and the plants so propagated produced flowers retaining their mossy characteristic...

There have been introduced within the last few years some Moss Roses of the most vigorous growth, with shining foliage, and others bearing flowers in the Autumn. The former have been produced by crossing the Moss with the Hybrid Chinese Roses, or vice versa, the latter by bringing together the Moss and Perpetual. [Paul divided the Moss Roses into two groups: the Perpetual Mosses and the Mosses.]

Moss Roses require high cultivation; some are of delicate growth, and will only flourish in a kindly soil; others are very hardy, but all, whether hardy or delicate; delight in a rich soil... They should be grown either on their own roots or budded on short stems (the latter is preferable in most cases), and should be closely pruned.
The moss-like substance which surrounds the flower-buds of these Roses is a sufficient mark of distinction, but they are altogether dissimilar to others. They vary much in character and vigour.

[Ibid, p. 14: Holland] possessed the richest collections in Europe down to 1815, and it was from that country that the most beautiful of the tribe, the Moss Rose, was first introduced to England, from whence it found its way to France...

[From Ibid, p. 17: Laffay wrote to Paul in 1847 and said] it is very possible that I may yet offer you some good Roses, especially of the Hybrid Moss, for I intend to make a sowing of several thousands of seeds of these varieties... The Mosses will soon play a gran dpart in Horticulture."

[From Phillips & Rix, The Quest for the Rose, p. 80:] Moss Roses are sports of other groups, mainly Damask and Centifolia, and have been known from around 1650. They are recognized by the numerous small glands on the flower buds and upper stems which create the damp mossy effect. The glands are scented and add to the fragrance of the flowers.

[From Gardening with Old Roses, p. 27:] These roses first appeared in Holland early in the eighteenth century. They are sports or mutations from the Centifolias and look much the same except that the green sepals covering the buds are 'mossy'. If you touch the moss it feels sticky and leaves its scent on your fingers. The Victorians loved them as a novelty.

[From The Art of Gardening with Roses, by Graham Stuart Thomas, p. 19:] The Moss Rose was a particular favorite with the Victorians... The original was pink but 'Shailer's White Moss' is a sport which occurred in 1790. At Mottisfont it sometimes produces a normal pink flower...

[From The Graham Stuart Thomas Rose Book, by Graham Stuart Thomas, pp. 59-60: Thomas discusses the Moss Roses at length, so please refer to the source for more information. A couple of highlights:] The Mosses are really of comparatively recent occurrence... the plants cannot really be called perpetual flowering... In size the Moss Roses range from the dwarf varieties 'Little Gem' and 'Mousseline' to tall pillar roses like 'Jeanne de Montfort' and 'William Lobb', both of which are capable of reaching 8 feet... Since 1900 a few Mosses have been raised that embody the vigour and mossy characters with rather modern colours. 'Gabrielle Noyelle' (1933) has flowers of orange-salmon with yellow base; 'Robert Leopold' (1941) is of similar colouring with attractive dark moss and brilliant green leaves. These are both good bushes up to about 5 feet, and with them we can grow the 'Golden' or 'Yellow Moss' (1930). This is rather shy-flowering... A great stir was made at the end of the seventeenth century, or at least by 1727, when the Moss Rose (a sport from Rosa centifolia was introduced from the Continent... William Paul, in his 9th edition, quotes the French raiser of roses M. Laffay as having said, in 1847, "from the moss roses we shall soon see great things." During the next forty years or so numerous varieties were introduced, running into several hundreds. Today but a handful remain and none has quite as much beauty as the Common Moss...

[From A Heritage of Roses, by Hazel Le Rougetel, p. 24: Hovey's Cambridge Nurseries 1845 catalogue listed 101 Moss Roses] an indication of maintained demand with 'no pains or expense spared to make a complete collection of this most exquisite class'.

[From Growing Old-fashioned Roses, by Barbara Lea Taylor, p. 53:] The sweet Moss rose conjures up Victorian England with all its sentimentality. Posies of scented Moss roses carried messages of love, were pinned to corsetted bosoms and clasped in languid hands... The buds, and sometimes the stalks and leaflets, are covered in 'mos'. It can be soft and downy or stiff and whiskery, and it is usually aromatic to the touch. Some roses have a lot, some have a little. Sepals around the buds are often prettily fringed and winged...

[From Botanica's Roses, p. 394:] To appear at their best, Moss Roses need the best growing conditions... These roses appeared first in The Netherlands or France and were sold at exorbitant prices...

[From The Rose Garden, by William Paul, p. 16: Vibert was] one of the most celebrated cultivators among the French. He founded his establishment at Chenevieres-sur-Marne, in the vicinity of Paris, in 1815, at which time the only Moss Rose known in France was the Red or Common one. He removed a few years later to Angers...

[Ibid, p. 17: Laffay writing to Paul in the fall of 1847] It is my intention to cease cultivating the Rose, in a commercial sense... it is very possible that I may yet offer you some good Roses, especially of the Hybrid Moss, for I intend to make a sowing of several thousands of seeds of these varieties... I am persuaded that in future we shall see many beautiful Roses, which will efface all those that we admire now. The Mosses will soon play a grand part in Horticulture."

[From Roses of America, by Stephen Scanniello and Tania Bayard, p. 68:] On moss roses that have sported from centifolias, the moss is soft green. On thos that are sports of damasks, it is dark and bristly.

[From The Rose Manual, by Robert Buist, pp. 46-47:] The Moss Rose in [America] is a plant of very difficult culture if not in a rich sandy soil... [includes cultural advice]

[From The Old Rose Adventurer, by Brent C. Dickerson, p. 121:] On June 15th, 1819, Henry Shailer, of Little Chelsea, exhibited at the Horticultural Society, London, nine kinds of Moss Roses, including his White Moss Rose.

[From Have You Tried These Fragrant Roses?, by Neville F. Miller, p. 63:] In this class the more fragrant varieties are found among the whites.

[From The Old Rose Adventurer, by Brent C. Dickerson, pp. 118-119:] The first trace of the Moss Rose is found, we believe, in Philip Miller's Gardener's Dictionary [a note adds: Ph. Miller, born in 1681, dying in 1771. Superintendent of the English apothecary's garden at Chelsea; his botanical knowledge and his taste for gardening allowed him to make the garden which he directed the most magnificent botanical establishment in Europe in his lifetime...

[Ibid, p. 117:] the first Moss rose seen in France was brought there from England at the end of the last [i.e., 18th] century by Mme. de Genlis... It was first noticed about the years 1720 to 1724, and is mentioned by Miller in 1727...

[From Growing Old-fashioned Roses, by Trevor Nottle, p. 18:] Mosses... these roses are covered in moss-like growth... it may be green or brownish... it usually has a definite piney smell which comes from a sticky substance secreted from glands in the mossing...

[From The Old Rose Informant, by Brent C. Dickerson, p. 74:] Mme. de Genlis tells us, in her Botanique Historique, that she was the one who brought the new white Moss here as well as 'À Feuille de Sauge' from Mr. Shailer, nurseryman, who grew them from seed.