OLD AND NEW ROSES. 221 



the offspring, would be an interesting and 

 profitable study. I hold it as an axiom, that, 

 in the progeny of any rose which has been 

 crossed with another, the influence of both 

 parents can be distinctly traced. 



Artificial crossing and hybridization of 

 roses is generally performed by removing 

 with fine scissors the stamens of the flower 

 to be operated on, and then shaking over it 

 the flower of that which contains the pollen 

 to be used, or by gently dusting it on with a 

 camel's-hair brush. In this manner it is 

 supposed that the characteristics of each sort 

 will be given in about equal measure to the 

 progeny. It is not uncommon to cross varie- 

 ties without removing the stamens, in which 

 case the influence of the female parent is 

 believed to preponderate; but neither of 

 these methods has been accurately proved 

 as to the results. An interesting question 

 which arises, in connection with the subject 

 of artificial fertilization, is how far removed 

 from each other, in the habit of growth and in 

 other peculiarities, may be the varieties which 

 are to be used as parents, without preventing 

 a successful crossing of the two. 



In crossing roses, we are most certain to 

 attain satisfactory results by blending seed- 

 bearing varieties which have several char- 



