196 THE ROSE BOOK 



Dorothy Perkins. Even if varieties of no unusual 

 merit are raised, one may have the pleasure of growing 

 novelties in one's own garden that no one else possesses. 

 The raising of new roses— both cross-fertilisation and 

 seed sowing— should be carried out under glass. A green- 

 house fitted with heating apparatus is essential, because 

 it is advisable to have the plants — which are grown in 

 pots — in bloom in March, so that the seed may have 

 all the summer in which to ripen. By far the best plan 

 is for each raiser to strike a line for himself. Why can- 

 not some amateur take the Moss roses in hand, and 

 try to obtain a yellow mossed variety, or another 

 improve the lovely little Scotch roses? There are so 

 many people raising new Hybrid Teas that their number 

 will soon be quite bewildering. When the reader has 

 decided which class of rose to take in hand, he must 

 have the plants potted in early autumn, or, better still, 

 procure a few plants in pots. If in five-inch pots, they 

 will not need repotting. Big plants are not necessary ; 

 in fact, those of rather poor development are preferable. 

 In January the roses are pruned and placed in the 

 greenhouse. A temperature of 45 ° is high enough 

 for the first few weeks, but it should be gradually 

 increased to 55 at night and 65 during the day. 

 When the flowers begin to open the petals are pulled 

 off to enable one to get at the stamens, which must 

 be removed with a small pair of scissors. Two or three 

 days afterwards the pollen from the selected variety is 

 applied to the stigmas of the rose that is to bear seed 

 —that from which the stamens were removed. 



