Nature provides many variables to insure perpetuation of the species. If the type has "evolved" in an arctic climate, where the seeds and plants endure weeks to months of hard freezes, it stands to reason those seeds which tend to germinate with little to no period of cold treatment have probably been pretty well weeded out. From those, you would likely have greater success from seed given cold stratification. Not that ALL would require it, but probably more will germinate with it. As Sally suggested, for those genetically suited to areas which just don't freeze, it's likely (and has been my experience) no real cold treatment is necessary to get good germination. But, there are many variables which govern germination. I've had years where nothing should have germinated as everything was 'wrong', and the blamed things came up like rye grass. I've had others where all the stars aligned, with all "I"s dotted and "T"s crossed and germination was terrible, even from those tried and true seed setters which tend to germinate around the mothers without any assistance. I tend to hold my seeds in the refrigerator simply to delay germination until it's cool enough to plant. I have ripe hips by July, but it won't be cool enough to handle the seeds under soil until late November to early December. Some years, that's longer because the squirrels and rats begin eating the hips/seeds earlier. Some years, it's shorter because all the other conditions cooperate. Some years, I've been able to just harvest and plant, which is actually easier for me. Little is actually written in stone, as there are exceptions to every rule. Often, the exceptions appear to BE the rules. Banksiae is well known for requiring up to two years to germinate, yet I have a lutescens seedling which exploded from the soil in four months from planting the seed. None of the others ever germinated. You pretty much use the suggestions to see what works with what you grow, where you grow it and what makes it easier for you to grow them. Kim

Hello everybody (specially JAXONDEL)! My name is Mariano R. Saviello, I am 25 years old and I have recently got my degree in Biotechnology in the National University of Quilmes (Buenos Aires, Argentina). I am also working in a Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology in the same University doing a research in Microbiology that will be part of my thesis, when I get my master in Biotechnology in a few months. Anyway, I am plannig to start to work in another laboratory; maybe in something related with Vegetal Biotechnology, so I am really excited about this. Maybe you are not interested in this things I have started to write, but I thought it would be good if you know something about me because it is my first message here, so you know who is writting to you. Since I was a little child I love all kind of plants, but roses are my favourite. It is true that they need many special cares, some attention and a lot of love; but this support is always proportional with the happyness they give us in their flowering time! All the time and effort we invest is well worth!. So, I have started to grow them since then. My grandfather Nilo Sánchez was also a rose grower and used to have a huge collection of roses in Necochea, a seaside town almost 500 kilometres from Buenos Aires, where we have a house in which we spend every summer harvesting cherries, plums, apricots and pears. Activity shared by many members of my family. At the moment the-in that time- huge rose collection is not what it was; but we could keep some really interesting varieties, including some old relics, really difficult to find nowadays here in Argentina ´s nurseries, although it is a pity we could not invest much time in the house because it is really far away from where I am living now (Buenos Aires). It is my hobbie and a really healthy way to spend my free time, and switch my mind off the daily routine. Some years ago or a bit more, maybe-I read about the ´Help Me Find´ website, and posted some pictures too, but could not dedicate too much time because I was studying hard to get my degree; so I used the site just to learn more things about this plant and identify some of our rose bushes. Nowadays, with more free time, I am trying to recover my grandfather ´s rose collection, and have been buying many rose bushes to fill the empty spaces of the garden (I plant each variety in the place it used to be when my grandfa was young, according to what he have told me). Everything has changed a lot and we are having now a really colourful space each spring, but we still have to recover some cultivars such as ´Charles Mallerin´, ´Yellow Talismán´, ´Tzigane´, ´Rina Herholdt´, ´Frau Kart Druschky´, ´Salmon Ange´, ´Ballet´, ´Eden Rose´, ´Crimson Glory´, ´Forty-Niner´, ´Mojave, ´President Hoover´, ´Caledonia´, ´Rumba´, ´Kordes Perfecta Superior´ and, of course CHANTRÉ ROSE. The aim of this e-mail, after reading in the ´Garden Web Forum´ that JAXONDEL said once (20, April 2009): "one can't even find a photo of it", in reference to the ´Chantré´ rose, that-in your own words- "appears to be available NOWHERE on the planet", is sending the link of the ´Chantré´ rose page in Help Me Find to all of the rose lovers who share this space, where I have recently uploaded three pictures of this magnific cultivar, property of a friend of mine. Hope one day I could grow this beauty, in order to keep walking with the rose conservation project I have started with my grandfather many years ago to re-introduce forgotten-and amost extinguised- "old" modern roses. Of course I am at your entire disposal, hoping you all enjoy these pictures. Yours sincerely, Mariano Saviello (mariano_saviello83@yahoo.com.ar) PS.: Here is the link: http://www.helpmefind.com/plant/pl.php?n=11548. If someone could contact JAXONDEL privately, please send him this message (I am new on it and do not know how to get through to him...is there any "private message" option???). Once more, my warmest regards from Buenos Aires!

Karma, they don't want babies sleeping on their backs anymore, increased risk of SIDS, and if they spit up, they will choke on it. Sleeping on her side is good. To prevent a flat bald spot on her head Dave, yes, it does happen, lol..just make sure you rotate which side of her head is touching the bedding each time she goes down. Geez she is beautiful. looky how long her fingers are! Maybe a future piano player :) O I bet she smells so good and is so soft!! Isn't cuddling with your baby, holding your baby, the absolute BEST thing in the world?? NOTHING can compare. My youngest just turned 5, I have 3. I disagree with using the car to get them to sleep..they get dependant on it, and its not a pretty sight to break that habit. SHe absolutely NEEDS to learn how to fall asleep on her own. What I would do was rock and sing to them, or walk with them kinda bouncing them..not really bouncing, but ya know what I mean, lol. And when they get so relaxed they are just about to crap out, get them very gently into the crib, then gently take my fingers and caress their face, If you take your 4 fingers, start at the forehead, and gently, slowly bring them down her face over her eyes, down her nose, over her mouth to her chin, the natural reaction is for her to close her eyes. If she is relaxed enuf this should get her to sleep. Worked 99% of the time for me. But, like I said she HAS to learn to fall asleep on her own, if she doesn't bed time will be a constant battle for years. When she gets to be a little older, like 7-9 months or so, don't be scared to let her cry herself to sleep. My DH always freaked and it was hell for me, cuz he made it harder, 'she's screaming & crying, don't you care?' UGH!!! But they have to learn..and they will cry when you put them in their crib and walk away. If after 20 mins, she doesnt stop, you go back in and make sure everything is OK, but DONT pick her up unless you have to..this is what she wants! Dont even talk to her, just lay her back down and leave. It's hard, but ya gotta to do it. Quickly enuf she will learn to get to sleep on her own. Also, if she is gassy, I suggest you pick up some Mylicon at any pharmacy/supermarket. A few drops in her mouth and it will ease her gas pains. Gr8 stuff..worked miracles with my first one. I agree with Lucy, 6-8 weeks and she should have things figured out and be on a better night/day schedule and start sleeping more through the night..not 10 hours mind you, lol. But she'll start going 6-7 at a clip for the overnight, wake up for a feeding & changing and crap out for another 6. Just my opinion :) I can't wait till my sis starts having kids.

kimichangirl, another excellent guide would be to join the Premium membership ($25 a year) on Help Me Find. You can then look at everything listed as offspring for each of your roses, as well as take a look at everything listed as offspring for other roses you may find interesting. Not to replace any other source you are considering at all, but to supplement them. If there is a rose you are really interested in using, you can then search for any listed offspring from it and see what you think of the results. It will enable you to see photographs in many instances, of seedlings and commercial varieties bred from the roses in question. It helps a great deal. It's also very helpful to be able to determine what made the things you really like and see any trends in breeding which result in either desirable or even undesirable results. You can learn a GREAT deal just by browsing this informaiton. When I began laying the foundation for my own exploration, I read all of the Modern Roses to trace ancestries and determine what had made results I found of interest and value toward my goals. Premium membership on HMF permits you to do all of that with a key stroke, saving tremendous time and expense. It's possible to spend several times the annual premium membership for the latest volume of Modern Roses and it won't contain any more information than you're likely to find on HMF. Believe me, if you have any real interest, join the RHA and HMF premium membership. They are your two best sources for information and at the most cost efficient rates! Kim