Fbbbuary 24, 1921 



The Florists* Review 



19 



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ROSES: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE 



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AR be it from me to revive 



Fpast liistory when discuss- 

 ing rose growing; the 

 grower of today is more 

 interested in the future 

 roses than the ones past 

 their zenith. It entered 

 my mind the other day 

 that in its life and history 

 and commercial value as a 

 cut flower, the rose is much like the 

 career of a baseball player. Each 

 spring'we hear of new men entering the 

 game. Some we see; others fade away 

 before the teams enter the home town, 

 and every so often one will stand up un- 

 der the strain, develop and become a 

 star and money-maker for his organiza- 

 tion. But he, like the standard rose 

 which has proved itself, will in the al- 

 lotted six or eight years give way to 

 younger blood and activity. 



Every fourth year, history has 

 shown, gives us new roses of value and 

 also new methods of growing. We, no 

 doubt, all realize the fact 

 that the old Killarneys and 

 the Killarney family made 

 more rose growers and built 

 more greenhouses than any 

 other roses. We have today 

 many men who can thank the 

 introducer of Killarneys for 

 their dollars and possessions, 

 but the old, easy methods of 

 ten years ago have passed 

 away, as have the easy-grow- 

 ing varieties we had until 

 Russell and Milady appeared. 



The paper read by Andrew Benson, of May- 

 wood, III., before the Commercial Flower Grow- 

 ers of Chicago February 17, entitled, "Koses, in 

 the Past, tlie Present and the Future." 



seen growing in the various places with 

 strong stems and dark, rich, velvety 

 color. It must be admitted it has a 

 place all by itself. I see no reason why 

 we here in the middle west so hastily 

 discarded the Hadley rose. I am fully 

 convinced it was a rose not given a fair 

 trial. 



My opinion is that the best natural 

 conditions for winter growing of roses 

 are found within a radius of 500 miles 

 of Chicago. Although the method ap- 

 plied here may do equally well farther 

 west, it will not do 300 miles south of 

 us or 1,000 miles west. . 



We use rough cattle manure mixed 

 with our soil, with admirable results. 

 Should we apply manure to the soil of 

 California it would mean absolute fail- 



Study Methods. 



ROSE RECIPES 



The roses in the past have 

 been rather easy to grow and 

 able to withstand a certain 

 amount of abuse. The period 

 between the eclipse of the 

 Maids and Brides and the 

 time when Russell and 

 Milady flitted across the 

 scene, we had varieties that 

 could nearly grow in water 

 alone. It used to be a slogan: 

 "Water, more water and 

 then still more water." 



When the new varieties came fortli 

 they were given the same treatment, 

 and to that fact I attribute several 

 failures of new roses to make good. 

 Althougli it has taken years, it is grati- 

 fying to realize that the progressive, 

 experienced grower has been keen to 

 observe the needed cultural change and, 

 as a result, the present indication is that 

 the old slogan of "Soak them" is get- 

 ting weak in the knees, ready to col- 

 lapse and, like old John Barleycorn, is 

 "a goner." 



To the failure to study new plants 

 and the clinging to old methods instead 

 of adopting new ones I attribute the 

 poor showing of roses here in the middle 

 west during the four years prior to 1918. 



I recently made a trip to the east and 

 also to the western coast. It is interest- 

 ing to note that each locality has its 

 preference for different varieties. In 

 the east they do wonders with Francis 

 Scott Key. The plants are growing well 

 [>nd the flowers are larger than Amer- 

 ican Beauties. Hadley is a leader and is 



We can grow any rose successfully 

 if we try hard enough. 



The successful rose grower must be 

 a close observer, paying strict at- 

 tention to all small details. 



We all know ventilation, fertiliza- 

 tion and irrigation, if applied at the 

 proper time, must give results. 



Overfeeding does more harm than 

 starvation. 



Plenty of fresh air is needed; there 

 is no market for weak and spindly 

 fiowers. 



is of utmost *importance. Too often we 

 do not know the soil the plants are 

 growing in. What soil improvements 

 can be made, or rather how cultural 

 methods can be applied to make a cer- 

 tain kind of soil and climatic condition 

 produce best is best proved in the case 

 of a man who went west ten years ago 

 to grow roses in the state of Utah.,,Jt 

 was taken for granted that roses could 

 not grow in the soil, although almost 

 ^ny other plant did well. The result is, 

 that Utah has today one of the most, if 

 not the most, up-to-date rose growing 

 establishments in tlve country, where 

 plants grow with life and vigor, free 

 from mildew and spot, and flower with 

 better color than is ever seen here. 



My experience has proved that I get 

 the best results from sod plowed under 

 in July and in October mixed with one- 

 third of manure. 



As feed for the plants during the 

 growing season, I generally prefer to 

 make use of fresh cattle manure, as the 



plants seem to take that up. 



more readily and without 

 liarm to the leaves, with two 

 feedings between each crop, 

 alternating with sheep and 

 cattle manure. Overfeeding 

 will do more harm than 

 starvation. 



In my opinion blood and 

 bone, is not worth the time it 

 takes to put it on, but an ap- 

 ])lication of potash is a won- 

 derful and strong stimulant, 

 both for producing heavy 

 stems and better colors. I 

 consider potash cheap at $100 

 Iier ton. 



Cost of Fertilizer. 



ure. It is hard for an eastern man to 

 conceive why the rich, black loam they 

 have in California should not, with the 

 aid of natural manure, produce still bet- 

 ter results, but natural manure mixed 

 with the soil, under the climatic condi- 

 tion prevailing there, has time and 

 again proved detrimental to the plants. 



Conditions Vary. 



Good roses can be grown profitably 

 from coast to coast, but will not grow 

 and prosper unless given the utmost 

 care and attention. Even the varieties 

 of robust heart and vigor require tlio 

 proper soil condition, perfect drainage 

 and ample feed at the proper time. Con- 

 stant attention must be tlie watcliword. 

 A rose plant is a living organism. It 

 suffers from inattention. Any careless 

 or haphazard method of culture is not 

 conducive to its well-being. Yet, given 

 a square deal, it will amply repay the 

 grower for its existence. 



The soil and climatic condition we too 

 often overlook. An analvsis of the soil 



We always allow one-half 

 pound of raw ground bone 

 per plant, mixing it with the 

 soil before planting. We try 

 to use 15 cents per plant for 

 fertilizer per season, but 

 would rather spend 17 cents 

 per plant than 12 cents. We 

 feed young plants little, if 

 ever, before the first crop 

 and the first crop I prefer to use as a 

 plant builder, instead of a money- 

 maker. The sacrificing of the first crop 

 to build up a strong and solid plant will 

 amply repay you later on. 



Plenty of fresh air is needed; there is 

 no market for weak and spindly flowers. 

 Burn five tons of coal more per thousand 

 l)lants. Keep the ventilator open; it 

 will improve the quality of flower and 

 make the plants more productive. 



It is indeed a pleasure to grow roses, 

 but the success does not entirely depend 

 on the proprietor or manager. There is 

 l>lenty of precedent pointing to the 

 value of loyal good assistants ;ui'l help- 

 ers. The real fact is that tlio future 

 jirogress and success of the rose grow- 

 ing industry, and any other national in- 

 dustry, depends largely on the intelli- 

 gence and training of the workmen. 



As to young i)lanta, whether it is 

 cheaper to buy or do your own jiropagat- 

 ing and grafting seems to be something 

 of a question. As for making direct 

 money from that kind of work, I think 



