OLD AND NEW ROSES. 221 
the offspring, would be an interesting and 
profitable study. I hold it as an axiom, that, 
in the progeny of any rose which has been 
crossed with another, the influence of both 
parents can be distinctly traced. 
Artificial crossing and hybridization of 
roses is generally performed by removing 
with fine scissors the stamens of the flower 
to be operated on, and then shaking over it 
the flower of that which contains the pollen 
to be used, or by gently dusting it on with a 
camel’s-hair brush. In this manner it is 
supposed that the characteristics of each sort 
will be given in about equal measure to the 
progeny. It isnot uncommon to cross varie- 
ties without removing the stamens, in which 
case the influence of the female parent is 
believed to preponderate; but neither of 
these methods has been accurately proved 
as to the results. An interesting question 
which arises, in connection with the subject 
of artificial fertilization, is how far removed 
from each other, in the habit of growth and in 
other peculiarities, may be the varieties which 
are to be used as parents, without preventing 
a successful crossing of the two. 
In crossing roses, we are most certain to 
attain satisfactory results by blending seed- 
bearing varieties which have several char- 
