March 24, 1917 



HOETI CULTURE 



373 



NATIONAL ROSE FESTIVAL 



After eighteen years of active and 

 useful worlv the American Rose So- 

 ciety has marked a glorious new mile- 

 stone. Up until this year the society 

 has been a trailer to bigger organiza- 

 tions helping them and itself as far 

 as lay in its power — all of which was 

 splendid work and laid the foundation 

 for the first exclusive Rose Festival 

 ever held in America. To the high 

 courage and broad personnel of the 

 officers of the society we must all doff 

 our hats. Some among us old-timers 

 in horticultural work and development 

 thought the thing an irridescent dream 

 impossible pf accomplishment. But 

 the present magnificent exhibition sets 

 all doubts at rest. They have proved 

 that the impossible can be done. Pres- 

 ident Pennock and his army of able 

 helpers are entitled to most sincere 

 congratulations. 



The show was opened on the 20th 

 inst. with appropriate ceremonies, the 

 mayor of Philadelphia, in which city 

 the event took place, making the open- 

 ing speech. Then the crowds flocked 

 in and glorious indeed was the spec- 

 tacle that greetfed them. 



The First Regiment Armory Hall is 

 one of the largest in the city and it 

 was filled to overflowing with roses. 

 Roses, roses, everywhere! Thousands 

 of American Beauties in their acme of 

 perfection, Russells, Killarneys, Ophe- 

 lias, Sunbursts, Jonkheers, Wards, 

 down to the millions of Ramblers and 

 Polyanthas. 



Six months ago the brave sponsors 

 said the show would be "Queen Rosa 

 in all her glory — the greatest Rose 

 Show ever held in America!" That 

 sounded a little Barnumy, but they 

 have made good. And your scribe 

 joins with joyous shout and cries "AH 

 Hail! Up higher yet, your bonnet!" 



The layout of the show was excel- 

 lent. As one entered, to right and 

 left were the groups containing the 

 competing hundreds of the big roses. 

 In the main central the big feature 

 was the rose garden laid out by 

 Habermehl. This had a white marble 

 Venus fountain in the center of a lake 

 surrounded by grass walks, rose beds, 

 statuary with trained specimen roses 

 rising five, eight, ten feet high toned 

 off at the corners with high shapely 

 evergreens. A most imposing, artistic 

 and delightful creation. 



Beyond this at the rear center of the 

 hall was the next big exciting feature 

 for the visitor— the Dreer display. The 

 big electric sign just said "Dreer," and 

 it was enough. The crowds flocked 

 there and they were rewarded They 

 stayed and stayed and struggled, mak- 

 ing notes of the one hundred and 

 seventy-one tried and true varieties on 

 exhibition. A King conservatory was 

 the central feature of the Dreer ex- 

 hibit. This was filled with roses and 

 outside on three sides were the rose 

 beds. Dreer's did fine work at the 

 great show last spring, but this is still 

 bigger and finer. We Quakers are not 



allowed to use cuss words but "by 

 heck" and "by gracious" are permissi- 

 ble — so there! Translate them strong- 

 er if you want to. 



The Michell company had a splendid 

 display on the northwest side, finely 

 illuminated and arranged in Philip 

 Freud's best style. Rose beds with 

 grass and appropriate fixings were 

 beautifully done, and we heard many 

 visitors exclaiming that this was the 

 best thing in the show. 



And the side walls. Words fail me. 

 Never have I seen the retail men do 

 such noble work. Every exhibit was 

 a gem in its way. It would be wrong 

 to mention one as better than another 

 because every one was best from some 

 standpoint. It certainly was a reve- 

 lation and sent all beholders into 

 ecstacies of delight. I could talk all 

 night about them but Uncle Sam's 

 mail closes in about a minute, so you'll 

 have to excuse me for being virtuous. 

 If I had the chance I'd give you the 

 earache! G. C. 'Watson, 



The dinner to the judges at the 

 Bellevue-Stratford on Tuesday was a 

 very fine official function of which 

 more anon. On Wednesday evening 

 the smoker given in honor of the vis- 

 itors' by the Florists' Club of Philadel- 

 phia was one grand time. Three hun- 

 dred guests participated and enjoyed 

 the vaudeville performance and all the 

 other good things provided with open- 

 handed liberality. 



THE BOSTON 



Last of the four big March exhibi- 

 tions to open its doors, the Spring 

 Show of the Massachusetts Horticul- 

 tural Society is in full swing as we 

 go to press, and from all indications it 

 is destined to be a full financial suc- 

 cess as it certainly is an artistic and 

 floricultural triumph. The quality of 

 the exhibits is very high and the ar- 

 rangement and layout of the show as 

 a whole is most excellent. The four 

 halls in the Horticultural Building are 

 filled to their full capacity and the 

 open spaces are none too ample for 

 the throngs of admiring visitors. 



We shall not attempt to publish the 

 list of awards this week or to describe 

 in detail the various exhibits. We 

 have a plethora of that sort of reading 

 matter for this issue and an account 

 next week will no doubt please 

 our readers fully as well. We shall 

 merely mention now some of the out- 

 standing attractions. Thomas Roland 

 has filled the stage with a charming 

 collection of acacias which we think 

 the prettiest acacia exhibit we have 

 ever seen. A large section of the main 

 hall is occupied by a formal "Flemish" 

 garden by R. & J. Farquhar. It is 

 chastely arranged and exceedingly 

 pretty, nestling within a protecting 

 fringe of fastigiate cedars. While not 

 so pretentious and elaborate as some 

 of Mr. Farquhar's previous efforts, yet 

 it is in its taste and finish in no way 

 inferior to them. 



The big promiscuous plant groups 

 for which A. M. Davenport and \V. \V. 

 Edgar Co. have earned so high repute 

 are better than ever before, and the 

 masses of forced spring flowering 

 trees and shrubs are simply lovely. 

 The tulips are superb as are also the 

 daffodils, which are shown in veritable 

 forests and in infinite variety. Wm. 

 Sim has out-Simmed himself with a 

 great display of polyanthus primula 

 hybrids and added to the interest by 

 staging a fine bed of auriculas, the first 

 exhibited here in any quantity since 

 the days of David Allan, long, long ago. 

 Obconica primroses are shown in large 

 numbers by several exhibitors and we 

 doubt if their equals have ever been 

 shown anywhere. The improvement 

 in this species has been almost incred- 

 ible as to form, size and color of 

 flower and vigor ef the plant, and Pri- 

 mula malacoides is not far in the rear. 

 Cyclamen are always good in Boston, 

 and those seen this time bear out this 

 reputation. We noticed a new deep 

 pink tulip shown by A. W. Preston, 

 gard. John L. Smith, under the name 

 of "President Wilson." Hydrangeas, 

 lilies and astilbes are admirably dis- 

 played by W. W. Edgar Co. 



The orchid groups are all placed in 

 the small hall. Julius Roehrs of Ruth- 

 erford, N. J., has a stunning arrange- 

 ment of orchid plants, cleverly illum- 

 ined from below and the effect is in- 

 dlscribably impressive. A gold medal 



for rarity and hybrids, besides a 

 silver medal and $200 cash prize 

 is awarded. F. J. Dolansky has 

 touched the pinnacle of his tri- 

 umphs with a show of orchids and 

 Farleyense ferns of most remarkable 

 character and the gold medal and $300 

 cash card which the judges have 

 placed upon it is a richly deserved 

 honor. Thomas Roland has a fine 

 table of ericas in many species. 



The carnation section is always a 

 prominent and inspiring feature of 

 the Boston Spring Show. With such 

 masters competing as A. A. Pem- 

 broke, S. J. Goddard, Strout's and 

 others well-known in carnationdom 

 this display could not be otherwise 

 than superb, and superb it certainly is. 



Several of the retail florists have 

 come in with tasteful examples of 

 their handiwork. Penn, Comley, Bos- 

 ton Cut Flower Co., and others are 

 generously represented. Violets of 

 remarkable size are shown by Edward 

 Brigham and Osgood Bros., have a 

 good showing of pansies. The private 

 estates are very largely represented 

 in the various plant and flower groups 

 and we shall give them due attention 

 in next issue. It is very pleasing to 

 see the snap and ginger which per- 

 vades the whole enterprise this time 

 and the ready response of the public 

 to the invigorating influence that has 

 been let loose in this "Corner of Para- 

 dise." 



