THE BOOK OP ROSES. 49 



HYBRID VARIETIES OF THE ROSE. 



HYBRID is a Greek word, denoting the off- 

 spring of parents of a different species, and 

 applied indiscriminately to productions of the 

 animal and vegetable kingdom. In the vegeta- 

 ble creation, such unions are effected either by 

 the interposition of the gardener, of the wind, 

 or even of the wings of insects. The fertilizing 

 powder or pollen of a plant of one species, is 

 discharged upon the pistils of a plant of another 

 species; and the seeds produced from the 

 fecundation of this union, unite the natures of 

 the male and female parent. 



To produce this fecundation, however, there 

 must exist certain analogies of nature between 

 the parents, the extent of which cannot be 

 definitely ascertained. As, in animal life, an 

 offspring may be produced between the horse 

 and ass, but not between the horse and cow, 

 or cow and goat ; between a canary-bird and 

 goldfinch, but not between a canary and a lin- 

 net, or goldfinch and tomtit ; so hybrid plants 

 may be obtained between the crinum and the 



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