ROSE GROWING FROM SEED 197 



Supposing one desired to cross the new variety Sun- 

 burst, with, say, the crimson rose Edward Mawley, to 

 try to produce a deep orange-coloured Sunburst. The 

 stamens of Sunburst would be removed soon after the 

 bud showed colour, so as to prevent self-fertilisation. 

 The stamens do not, as a rule, yield pollen until the 

 flower is well advanced. After an interval of about two 

 days, the pollen from the flower of Edward Mawley 

 would be transferred to the stigmas of Sunburst. This 

 is accomplished by means of a camel-hair brush, 

 or the top of the little finger. The day tempera- 

 ture of the greenhouse at this time should be 

 from 70 to 8o° and 65 at night, and the atmosphere 

 kept as dry as possible. The plants must have 

 some water, but only enough to keep them alive. 

 The chief anxiety is to obtain some good pods of seed ; 

 the plants cannot have much consideration. The heat 

 and dry atmosphere, though detrimental to the rose 

 plant, help the development of the seed. If the cross is 

 successful, the pods soon swell, and by July they begin 

 to change colour and ripen. The pods of these hybridised 

 roses are sometimes beautiful, and varied in colour and 

 shape. Some resemble miniature Jargonelle pears, while 

 others are like small red tomatoes. It is best to keep 

 the soil rather dry until fertilisation is assured, and 

 then care is necessary not to give the plants more 

 water than they need. 



When the writer visited a noted rose grower in Ireland, 

 he saw one large greenhouse containing hundreds of 

 rose plants bearing seed pods, giving proof of the success 



