84 THE ROSE GARDEN. 



little knowledge in store, and have had to pay for learning by the way. The first 

 and second years of my practice I gathered the seeds promiscuously during winter, 

 siezing every pod that appeared large and plump, whether ripe or green. The 

 production of these sowings was a motley group ; among them some good double 

 Roses, and many veiy brilliant-coloured semi-double ones ; but nothing worth 

 bringing before the public — no star of the first magnitude. 



The subsequent year I took one step farther, and kept the seeds of each group 

 separate, to ascertain to what extent the offspring departed from the parent in ex- 

 ternal characters. This was done for two years ; and although but few of the plants 

 raised from these have yet flowered, enough have done so to afford a little insight 

 into the probable results. 



According to the statements of M. Boitard, there is scarcely any limit to the 

 variation of Roses produced from seed. He affirms that M. Noisette, a French 

 cultivator, has never sown seeds of the Chinese Roses (R. In dic a) without raising 

 some Scotch Roses (R. Spinosissima) from them. He states, This fact is not sup- 

 ported by a solitary occurrence, but has been frequently observed by that cultivator, 

 and is further attested by the evidence of M. Laffay, who raises seedlings on an 

 extensive scale, and has this year between 200,000 and 300,000. 



It were easy to conceive a mistake occurring in the gathering, storing, or sow- 

 ing of the seeds ; but when the facts have been noticed repeatedly, and by different 

 individuals of known probity and great horticultural attainments, the evidence, we 

 think, must be deemed conclusive. 



There are thousands of seedlings here, raised from seed sown last March, which 

 I have been searching through to see if any thing corroborative of the above state- 

 ment can be brought forward ; but I have met with no success. I find the va- 

 riation of character greater than I had expected ; and many of the seedling plants ap- 

 proach nearer to the wild forms than to those from which the seeds were gathered. 

 The offspring of all kinds does not vary in the same degree. The plants raised 

 from seeds of the Chinese are all Chinese or Tea-scented ; those from the Bourbons 

 seem Bourbons, Hybrid Bourbons, and Hybrid Chinese ; and while the French 

 Roses (R. Gallica) appear true to their kind, the Perpetuals have given birth t 

 Hybrid Chinese and Hybrids of other Summer Roses, scarcely one having proved 

 an Autumnal bloomer. 



Since observing and penning the above I have met with a remark of M. Desprez, 

 the celebrated Rose amateur at Yebles, that he has sown thousands of seeds of 

 Du Roi (Crimson Perpetual), and never obtained a Perpetual Rose. In all, 

 the characters of Rosa Gallica are visible. But we must remember this variety 

 partakes largely of the nature of the Gallica or French Rose. 



In examining my seedlings I find a seed of the Moss du Luxembourg has 

 produced a French Rose ; a seed of William Jesse (Hybrid Perpetual), a blush 

 Hybrid Chinese ; a seed of Mrs. Bosanquet (Chinese), a pink Chinese resem- 

 bling its parent in every respect save colour; Chenedole (Hybrid Chinese) has 



