THE CULTURE OF ROSES UNDER GLASS. 
133 
duction into the house liquid manure must be withheld 
and not until the flower-buds are formed should liberal 
supplies be given. When obtainable, liquid from the cow-yard 
is most desirable ; but it must be well diluted, according to the 
circumstances under which it is collected. If from a cesspit, one- 
fourth liquid to three-fourths water will be a safe stimulant, and 
may be applied twice a week to pot Roses ; but for those planted 
out it is best to use water and liquid alternately, as required. 
Liquid from a stable cesspit is dangerous, unless very much 
diluted, and, when cow manure is not obtainable, I prefer to use 
soot water. A bushel of soot put into a bag and suspended in 
a barrel of water (which may be emptied and refilled with 
water four times) makes an excellent and harmless manure. 
There are many fertilisers which may be used in the solid 
form by mixing with the soil when potting, or placing on the 
surface of the pots to gradually dissolve, but I prefer to also use 
liquid manure for pot Roses. Vapour troughs placed on the hot- 
water pipes, and filled with strong ammoniacal liquid manures, 
will generate gases beneficial to the plants. 
Having carried out all the details before named, and watched 
with intense satisfaction and pleasure the development of many 
a perfect specimen of the queen of flowers, you may perhaps 
grasp the opportunity of experimenting in hybridising by convey- 
ing the pollen of one good Rose to that of some other variety on 
a camel-hair brush, at the same time marking in some way the 
label, so that an authentic record may be kept of the parentage 
of any first-class seedling which may originate from such an 
experiment. In this way the same parent may again be used 
crossed by another variety. The seed-pods, which must be 
allowed to ripen on the plant, will be fit to gather when just 
changing from a golden to a duller colour. They should then 
be stored away in some airy place beyond the reach of mice 
until October, when the seeds from each pod should be sown in a 
5 -inch pot covered with sand and buried in some snug border 
an inch deeper than the pots, and fine wire netting should be 
placed over them to prevent the removal of the precious seeds 
by birds or mice. Some may germinate the following spring, 
but more will do so the next ; the experimenter need not be 
disheartened at this. If he be successful in raising a white 
Alfred Colomb or a yellow Marie Baumann he will be amply 
