rosp:s. 49 



BUSINESS MEETING. 



Saturday, January 24, 1891. 



All adjourned meeting of the Society was holden at eleven 

 o'clock, the President, William H. Spooner, in the chair. 

 No business being brought before the meeting it 

 Adjourned to Saturday. January 31. 



MEETING FOE DISCUSSION. 

 Roses. 



By John N. May, Summit, IV. J. 



Having been requested by your Committee to read a paper on 

 this subject, I have iu the foUoTviug pages endeavored to say 

 enough at any rate to open a discussion whereby I trust to learn 

 more than I can ever hope to teach by anything that I can say. 

 This subject has been so well and al)ly presented to this body so 

 many times before, by men much better informed and more able 

 to present it to you intelligently than myself, that I feel that I am 

 almost an intruder here, and Avould certainly much rather be a 

 listener than a talker on the subject; however, I will give my 

 experience with the Rose, and trust you Avill be lenient with your 

 criticisms. 



The word Roses conveys to the rosarian a volume. It opens 

 an immense field for discussion. The subject of raising new 

 varieties alone, could be made most interesting if handled as it 

 deserves to be, but at this time I fear that it would hardly be iu 

 place, neither do I think that I could under any circumstances do 

 justice to this branch, though I certainly hope in the very near 

 future to see American seedlings rank with the finest productions 

 of the world, as we have every advantage for producing them, — 

 summers that will ripen the seeds as well as any other in the world 

 if not better ; varied soils and climates, suitable for all classes of 

 this large family, and lastly an appreciative public ever readj' to 

 admire and to buy them. 



This, the queen of all flowers, has always reigned supreme for 

 me, and will till the end of time. My first experience with the 

 rose dates from the time I was eight and a half years old, when I 

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