126 The Rose Garden. 



Hybrid Chinese and Hybrid Bourbon with the Moss kinds, or vice versa ; the more 

 double and mossy the parent Moss is the better, that the offspring may produce full 

 flowers, and not lose the mossy characteristics. 



The Perpetual Moss would appear easiest obtainable by hybridizing the Hybrid 

 Perpetual with the varieties of Moss, or vice versa, using the Perpetual Moss kinds 

 already obtained, on either side, according to whether they produce seeds or pollen. 



Of other Roses wanted may be instanced striped Hybrid Perpetuals, which may 

 probably be obtained by bringing the most constant flowering varieties of that group 

 in union with the Rosa Mundi, or any of the striped French Roses.* Then there 

 are no striped Hybrid Chinese or Hybrid Bourbon Roses, which we would expect 

 to obtain from the union of the striped French with the varieties of Bourbon or 

 Chinese. There is no striped Moss Rose worthy of the name. Might not such be 

 obtained by working various of the Moss kinds with the Rosa Mundi ? There are 

 few autumnals of growth sufficiently rapid to form high pillars. Here is a field for 

 experiment ! Is there not a fair chance of obtaining these from between the most 

 vigorous growers of summer and autumn Roses? We hear talked of Yellow Moss 

 and Yellow Bourbon. As an attempt to obtain the former, cross the palest Moss 

 Roses with Emerance (Provence) ; for the latter unite the yellowest tints of the 

 Tea-scented with the buff and most colourless Bourbons. But we have not space 

 to pursue these remarks further. We need not confine ourselves to the instances 

 above quoted': they are merely given as examples. The work may be varied 

 ad infinitum : anything that the mind may suggest the head and hands may 

 work for. 



It is desirable, before crossing or hybridizing, to see if the flowers about to be 

 crossed have any stamens. If so, they should be cut away with a pair of round 

 pointed scissors, opening the flowers just before they expand. It is not known for 

 certain whether superfcetation can occur in plants, but it is generally admitted that 

 self-fertilisation can, and it is well to provide against both, especially where this can be 

 done with little trouble. The plan I adopt when crossing is to bring a flower of the 

 male parent to the seed-bearing tree. If the weather be calm, I cut away the petals of 

 the former, holding a finger over a flower of the latter, upon which I strike the flower 

 deprived of its petals. The sudden shock drives the pollen into the other flower, 

 and the work is done. But if the wind be high this plan will not do. It is better then 

 to collect the pollen on the end of a camel-hair pencil, and convey it thus to the styles 

 of the other flower. 



* Since the first edition of this work was published we have obtained several striped " Hybrid Perpetual " 

 Roses, and some valuable "Perpetual Moss." The greatest improveirient, however, has taken place among the 

 " Hybrid Perpetuals " and " Hybrid Tea-scented," although even here there are many wants still unsupplied which 

 the lover of Roses may reasonably look for. Unless, however, new ground is broken, he must not expect, in the 

 present state of these groups, to meet with the broadly-marked improvements of former years, but rest satisfied 

 with the more gradual development usual among plants which have been long cultivated. 



