RAISING NEW VARIETIES. 189 



Among men we find great divergencies of 

 character between brothers and sisters, yet it 

 is observed that they always hold something 

 in common which distinguishes them, some 

 link which connects one with another. It is 

 believed by some of the raisers who have 

 practised hybridization, or crossing of roses, 

 that seedlings of greater beauty are to be ob- 

 tained simply by selecting heps from 

 naturally fertilized flowers, than from those 

 which have been artificially crossed; that 

 there are very many types among roses 

 which are all beautiful in their way, but that 

 when these are crossed, the varieties which 

 result will have coarsely formed flowers, or 

 be of weak constitution, etc. Such, I infer, 

 is the belief of Messrs. Laxton, William 

 Paul, and others of the English rosarians. 

 With all deference to these gentlemen, 

 whose experience certainly gives weight to 

 their belief, I do not subscribe to this opinion. 

 I cannot but believe that we are even more 

 certain of obtaining flowers of high finish 

 from artificial than we are from natural fer- 

 tilization, if we will but pattern after nature 

 and carefully study the laws of cause and 

 effect. 



Though there is a difference of opinion re- 

 specting the quality and finish of the roses 



