ROSE GROWING FROM SEED 195 



not so easily grown from seed as Sweet Peas, but the 

 details are soon mastered. Many amateurs are sur- 

 prisingly ignorant of the method by which new roses 

 are obtained, and seem to have no idea they must be 

 raised from seed or originate as " sports." Years ago, 

 say, prior to the early sixties, most new roses were 

 raised from seeds gathered from flowers fertilised by 

 natural agencies. A rose bloom contains stamens and 

 stigmas, and, the conditions being suitable, pollen from 

 the former falls on the latter, with the result that seed 

 is formed. But the progeny from seed of self-fertilised 

 flowers lacks the vigour of that obtained by cross- 

 fertilisation, which is effected by applying the pollen 

 of one flower to the stigmas of another. Acting upon 

 this knowledge, rosarians commenced to cross-fertilise 

 roses. It was carried out on a small scale many years 

 ago, and there is no doubt that we owe to cross-fertilisa- 

 tion such fine old roses as La France and Marechal Niel, 

 although most probably the cross-fertilisation was due 

 to natural agencies. In more recent times, the late 

 Lord Penzance cross-fertilised the Sweet Brier with 

 modern roses, and produced some lovely hybrids now 

 known as the Penzance Briers. To-day growers in many 

 countries are engaged in the work of raising novelties, 

 and the output is remarkable. Quite ninety per cent. 

 of the novelties are worthless, and have but a short 

 life. This, however, need not deter the reader from 

 making an attempt himself, because he might produce 

 a dwarf-growing Marechal Niel, a snow-white Marie 

 Baumann, a blue Frau Karl Druschki, or a golden 



