NEW HYBRIDS TO AIM AT. 



198 



NEW HYBRIDS TO AIM AT. 



Br Monsieur VlVIASD BIORBLi 



" I'l* is the dead who need killing/' laid some romantic person of 

 Casimir Delavigne, one of the Last classics. Without knowing it-, perhaps, 

 this critic* under thii funereal but original form* meant to say fehatev ( ery 

 thing bai iti time and that the expression of an idea goes on modifying 

 itself continually; mo that it is unwise to ( if oneself entirely to things of 

 the past ( >id ideas give rise to new ones, and they in their turn produce 

 others- This is the great law of Progress already pointed out, by Pascal 

 in the following phrase : " Humanity is a man who lives for eras and is 

 always learning/' Nevertheless for man, whose life is Hhort, progress in 

 slow. One generation evolves an Idea, another studies it better, and the 

 following reaps the full benefit <>f it-. 



The preceding may icrve as an introduction to the paper I bave 

 been asked to write upon the production of m w Roses; for any 

 intelligent gardener who will resolutely itrike out on new lines, different 

 from those pursued h,y our forefathers, if certain to lecurs excellent 

 results. 



This in not the place to write t he history of the variations* as beautiful 

 as they are striking, which Rose fanciers bave caused the most beautiful 



Mower made by the Creator to assume ii, volume would not suffice ! On 

 account of the. general law, that the different ipecies reproduce themselves 

 from seed without any great variation, nice a single cross hardly mixes 

 their characters, Roses were m past ages, for the most part, suck as 



they bad been in form since the period of their ere;i,tion. In the fore I , on 

 the hillsides, amongst the UnderWOOd on the mountains, wherever in fact 

 they existed in a wild state, the tingle Roses remained single. On 

 introducing the most beautiful of them to our gardens sundry of them 

 soon began to double, triple, and quadruple the number of their petals 

 under the influence of a higher cultivation. These were, increased and 



there were several do/en varieties, very remarkable, no douht, hut Cor flu 



most part differing little from each other. This is all that the garden* r 

 of past ages bave left as. 



During the lust century a new departure was taken, which altered tie 



condition of things. On the discovery of the laws governing natural 

 fertilisation we, have established, though still in a ;omcwhji,f superficial 



way, the theory of hybridisation. At the same time, great travellers 

 bave introduced new species and races, with a lengthened .<■■<> -non of 

 blossoming, and of vigorous growth. The crossing of the European Roses 

 with those of India produced the infinity of varieties which may now be 

 found in all gardens. 



It is for the most part to HiicceHHivc crossing and recroHsin^ of Roses, 



and to the produce of their offspring, that tin; pro^rcHH realised in the 



production of new varieties ih due. 



lint it appears that the source, of novelties threatens soon to i/ivc. out 



