THE ROSE 235 



have referred more than once to the method of 

 developing immune races of plants, and empha- 

 size it once more with propriety in the present 

 connection, because, as is well known, the rose is 

 peculiarly susceptible to the attacks of many 

 fungoid and insect enemies. 



Indeed, many a rose that would otherwise 

 have value is so susceptible to the attacks of dis- 

 ease that it not only gives no pleasure to its 

 owner, but becomes a source of infection in the 

 garden that makes its presence a menace to other 

 flowers. 



To give plants immunity to the chief dis- 

 eases to which their species is subject is, there- 

 fore, one of the prominent aims that I never 

 overlook in the course of experiments, no matter 

 what the particular quality that may be chiefly 

 sought. 



Therefore it is made the invariable rule, what- 

 soever the plant with which I am working, to 

 examine the seedlings attentively from time to 

 time, to note whether any of them give evidence 

 of infection by mildew or any fungous growth. 



And any seedling that is seen to be subject 

 to mildew is at once destroyed, regardless of 

 the value of its other qualities. 



I should not regard a plant experiment suc- 

 cessful that led to the production of the most 



