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GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



highly developed florists" varieties may open up new 

 features of value in the offspring. Seeds of most of 

 the northern species are of slow germination and prob- 

 ably several seasons will be needed to bring out their 

 possibilities." 



Rosa miiltiflora has been the parent of many climbing 

 varieties which have left an indelible impression on the 

 mind of rose lovers. The more trailing or prostrate, 

 evergreen species IVichnraiana has played an important 

 part in the development of the so-called "Pillar Roses." 

 Such men as Jackson Dawson, Dr. Van Fleet, ]\I. H. 

 Walsh, W. A. Manda. Hoopes Bros, and Thomas and 

 others, saw the possibilities for improvement in the 

 desirable characters of each, through hybridization, and 

 crosses were made between these two species ; also be- 

 tween these and R. setigcra and the Hybrid Teas and 

 Hybrid Perpetuals. Among the best of the present day 

 varieties which have resulted from such crosses are 

 Dawson {R. miiltiflora X General Jacqueminot, H. P.), 

 Farquahar (R. U'ichuraiava X Crimson Rambler, H. 

 AF), Dr. Van Fleet (R. IVichnraiana X Mme. Gabriel 

 Luizet, H. P.); Gardenia (R. Wichuraiana X P^tIs des 

 Jardins, H. T.), American Pillar (R. JVicluiraiaiia X R- 

 setigcra) ; and Christine Wright (an unnamed Wichu- 

 raiana seedling X Caroline Testout, FL T.). 



Rosa multitlora crossed with Teas and Hybrid Teas 

 has also given a type of the so-called "Polyantha Pom- 

 pons" like George Elgar and Cecile Brunner, varieties 

 now so popular. There have also been produced from 

 similar crosses the dwarf polyanthas so useful as bed- 

 ding roses. Varieties of these like Echo, Triomphe 

 Orleanais, Mainan Turbat, and Mine. Jules Goiicliaiilf 

 are also much used by florists in forcing for Spring 

 bloom. 



The Tea Roses became popular in America during the 

 middle of the nineteenth century. Rosa odorata, or the 

 original Tea Rose with double blush flowers, was intro- 

 duced into England from Western China in 1810, and 

 in 1824 a form with pale yellow flowers was introduced. 

 From the crossing of this species with Rosa chinensis, 

 the Bengal Rose, and other Chinese species, the present 

 day Tea Roses have been produced. Among the older 

 varieties of Tea Roses still grown to a considerable ex- 

 tent for commercial purposes, particularly for corsage 

 bouquets in retail stores is Bon Silene. This was orig- 

 mated by Hardy in 1835 and is one of the few varieties 

 which has stood the long-time test. Catherine Mermet 

 originated by Pierre Guillot in 1869 was the parent 

 through bud variation, in 1885, of the Bride. This was 

 the principal white variety grown in greenhouses until 

 the advent of the Hybrid Tea, White Killarney, in 1909. 

 P.ridesmaid, the pink Tea Rose popular as a greenhouse 

 variety, was also produced by a bud variation on 

 Catherine Mermet in 1892. 



The species of roses which have been chiefly responsible 

 for increasing the vigor of garden varieties are Rosa 

 gallica, the Provence Rose, R. horbonica, the Bourbon 

 Rose, and R. damascena, the Damask Rose, Hybrids of. 

 these species with R. chinensis and R. ndorata have given 

 the present day type known as Hybrid Perpetuals or 

 Remontants. This race became popular from 1860 to 

 1890. Many Hybrid Perpetuals are now grown, but 

 their more limited blooming period makes them less in 

 demand than are the more constant blooming but less 

 hardy varieties of Hybrid Teas. Fran Karl Druschki, 

 General Jacqueminot, Paul Neyron, and Hugh Dickson 

 are still found in the majority of American Rose gardens. 

 Near the middle of the nineteenth century European 

 rose breeders began to search for some method of in- 

 creasing the hardiness of Tea Roses. As a result existing 

 varieties were crossed with Hybrid Perpetuals. One of 



the first results of such a cross was achieved by Pierre 

 Guillot of Lyons, France, when he originated La France. 



This was, however, not recognized as a new type until 

 1890. The first product of the hardier type which was 

 classified as a Hybrid Tea rose is said to have been 

 Cheshunt Hybrid, introduced by George Paul in 1873. 

 The writer had the pleasure of a day with George Paul 

 shortly before his death last September. I\Ir. Paul then 

 showed him with great pride, two of his most recent 

 hybrids, "Paul's Perpetual-flowering Lemon Pillar" and 

 "The Premier," a hybrid of Rasa hitcsccus. 



Hybrid Tea roses of European origin have played an 

 important part in American rose breeding. They have 

 furnished the parents for many of our best varieties. 

 Honor must be given Alex. Dickson for Killarney, Will- 

 iam Paul for Ophelia, Pernet-Ducher for Mrs. Aaron 

 Ward, Sunburst, Souvenir du Claudius Pernet, and to 

 many others for varieties which have been and are to 

 be such important factors in American rose production. 

 However, our American breeders have been doing most 

 excellent work and no finer results have been achieved 

 anywhere than those of American rosarians. 



John Cook, Baltimore, Md., has given us the following 

 which have been foremost among commercial varieties : 

 Mv Marvland, 1908 ; Radiance, 1908 : Francis Scott Kev. 

 1913; :\rrs. John Cook. 1919; Glorified La France, 1919. 

 F. G. Hil!, Richmond, Indiana: Richmond, 1905: Rhea. 

 Reid, 1908; Columbia, 1916; Premier, 1918; Mme. But- 

 terfly, 1918; Hill's .\merica, 1921. Alexander Mont- 

 gomerv, Fladlev, Mass. ; Wellesley, 1905 ; Crimson 

 Queen, 1912; Mrs. Chas. Russell, 1912; Hadley, 1914: 

 Crusader, 1919 ; Pilgrim, 1919. Frederick Dorner & 

 Sons Co., Lafayette, Indiana: Hoosier Beauty, 1915. In 

 distinctly garden varieties of Hybrid Teas, Captain 

 George C. Thomas has recently produced Bloomfield 

 Abundance and Bloomfield Progress, 1920; Howard and 

 Smith ; Los Angeles, 1916, and Miss Lolita Armour, 1920. 

 These are but a few of the recent valuable acquisitions- 

 to American varieties by American rose breeders. 



The field of rose breeding is a broad one and it is 

 safe to say that the work our Americans have thus far 

 done is but a beginning ; the future holds much of 

 promise. 



Other agencies are at work in America which stand 

 pre-eminently for rose progress. "The American Rose 

 Society" is carrying the rose far to the front as a 

 flower for all classes of people. The work of the or- 

 ganization is governed by a body of men who are gen- 

 erously donating their money, time and thought to those 

 subjects which stand for j)rogress in every phase of rose 

 growing in .America. The test-gardens in various sec- 

 tions of the United States which are under the direction 

 of the A. R. S. have been valuable agents in demon- 

 strating the adaptation of various species and varieties 

 to different soils and climates. The .\merican Rose An- 

 nual, which the organization publishes for its members, 

 is full of valuable rose literature. The volumes con- 

 stitute a rose library and no one interested in any phase 

 of garden work can afford to be without them. 



\\'ilh the increasing interest shown by our .\mericait 

 peojile in rose growing, with the literature which is ac- 

 cunnilating year by year, and best of all with the in- 

 troduction of the hardier varieties, which are eliminating 

 the discouraging element of Winter killing in the north- 

 ern section, rose progress in the United States is certain. 



There arc two things necessary for the enrichment 

 of life, mentally, physically, socially, and sjiiritually. 

 They are very simple and are known to all men. C)ni' 

 is hard work and the other is a determination to do right. 

 — Calvin Cdolidgc. 



