CULTURE OF THE ROSE. 85 



be opened the afternoon or evening previous, and the 

 anthers all removed with a pair of pointed scissors : the 

 following morning, when this flower is fully expanded, it 

 must be fertilized with a flower of some variety, of which 

 it is desired to have seedlings partaking largely of its 

 qualities. To exemplify this, we will suppose that a 

 climbing Moss Rose with red or crimson flowers is wished 



O 



for. The flowers of the Blush Ayrshire, which bears seed 

 abundantly, may be selected, and, before expansion, the 

 anthers removed. The following morning, or as soon after 

 the operation as these flowers open, they should be fertil- 

 ized with those of the Luxembourg Moss. If the operation 

 succeed, seeds will be procured, from which the probability 

 is that a climbing rose will be produced with the habit 



to know when the flower to be operated upon is in a fit state to receive 

 the pollen : as a general rule, the flowers ought to be in the same state 

 of expansion ; or, in other words, about the same age. It is only in 

 cases where it is wished for the qualities of a particular rose to predomi- 

 nate that the removal of the anthers of the rose to be fertilized is neces- 

 sary : thus, if a yellow climbing rose is desired by the union of the 

 Yellow Brier with the Ayrshire, every anther should be removed from the 

 latter, so that it is fertilized solely with the pollen of the former, In 

 some cases, where it is desirable to have the qualities of both parents in 

 an equal degree, the removal of the anthers need not take place : thus I 

 have found by removing them from the Luxembourg Moss, and fertil- 

 ising that rose with a dark variety of Rosa Gallica, that the features of 

 the Moss Rose are totally lost in its offspring, and they become nearly 

 pure varieties of Rosa Gallioa ; but if the anthers of the Moss Rose are 

 left untouched, and it is fertilized with Rosa Gallica, interesting hybrids 

 arc the result, more or less mossy. This seems to make superfetation 

 very probable; yet Dr. Lindley, in 'Theory of Horticulture/ p. 332, 

 ' thinks it is not very likely to occur.' " 



