CHAPTER XIII 



HYBRIDIZING 



"The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." 



— Isaiah 



THIS book attempts in no way to cover the subject of 

 hybridizing, save to refer to some sources of information 

 regarding a work that calls for long-sustained attention, 

 and almost limitless patience, with no assurance as to results. 

 Amateurs, as well as professional rose-growers, have made valu- 

 able contributions to our lists of roses, and it is to be hoped 

 that the future will offer more adequate recompense to the suc- 

 cessful breeder of roses than has been the case in the past. 



Surely more amateur rose-growers of our country would enter 

 the field of the hybridizer if they knew the situation: (1) That 

 in spite of the two hundred or more new roses introduced each 

 year, comparatively few of them are altogether happy in our 

 climate; (2) that much of the past work of hybridizers has been 

 confined to a comparatively small number of species, leaving 

 as yet untried a still larger number of other species well 

 adapted to our North Temperate Zone; and (3) with these vast 

 stretches of tempting possibilities there is coupled the fact that 

 the field in question is all but unoccupied, leaving the prizes of 

 accomplishment free for all comers. 



Every hybridizer will be interested in the articles bj^ Dr. White and 

 Dr. Van Fleet in the "American Rose Annual" for 1916; also in the 

 "Stammbuch der Edelrosen," by Dr. G. Kruger. The edition of this 

 work, published in 1906, at Trier, Germany, contains a most complete 

 listing of the hybridized roses, including parentage, hybridizer, and 

 date of issue. 



The chapter on "Hybridizing" by the Rev. Joseph H. Pemberton, in 

 his book, "Roses," also Messrs. Wilson's chart, "Historical and 

 Botanical Relationships of the Modern Rose," will be found most 

 helpful. 



It is fitting here to note the splendid progress made in hybridizing 

 roses for forcing purposes, by E. G. Hill, John Cook, Alexander Mont- 

 gomery, and others. Reference to page 163 reveals that over half the 

 varieties in active use today were not in existence ten years ago. 



In the field of the garden rose, America honors the hybridizing 

 record of Dr. W. Van Fleet and calls earnestly for more master hybri- 

 dizers to carry forward his work. 



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