CULTURE OF THE ROSE. 83 



not applicable to raising them on a large scale. We give 

 his directions in his own words : 



" The hij^ of all the varieties of roses will, in general, be 

 fully ripe by the beginning of November : they should 

 then be gathered, and kept entire in a flower-pot filled 

 with dry sand, carefully guarded from mice. In February, 

 or by the first week in March, they must be broken to 

 pieces with the fingers, and sown in flower-pots, such as 

 are generally used for sowing seeds in, called * seed-pans;' 

 but, for rose-seeds, they should not be too shallow : nine 

 inches in depth will be enough. These should be nearly, 

 but not quite, filled with a rich compost of rotten manure, 

 and sandy loam or peat. The seeds may be covered to the 

 depth of about half an inch with the same compost. A 

 piece of kiln-wire must then be placed over the pot, fitting 

 closely at the rim, so as to prevent the ingress of mice, 

 which are passionately fond of rose-seeds. There must be 

 space enough between the wire and the mould for the 

 young plants to come up : half an inch will probably be 

 found enough. The pots of seed must never be placed 

 under glass, but kept constantly in the open air, in a full 

 sunny exposure, as the wire will shade the mould, and 

 prevent its drying. Water should be given occasionally 

 in dry weather. The young plants will perhaps make their 

 appearance in April or May ; but very often the seed will 

 not vegetate till the second spring. When they have 

 made their c rough leaves,' that is, when they have three 



