1284 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



March 29, 1906. 



DETERIORATION OF FORCING 

 ROSES. 



[A puper by A. Farenwald, IlillBldo, Pa., read 

 licforo the -Vmerlciiii Hose Society at Boston, 

 March 2;}, lauO.] • 



"Our Failures," I might justly call 

 the introduction to this subject. Little 

 do \ve liear of these failures in our trade 

 papers. Why? Because very few care 

 publicly to ventilate their failures. 

 Pride, no doubt, often prevents growers 

 from proclaiming these, whereby others 

 might gain valuable information. One 

 of the main objects of the Eose Society 

 is to seek and distribute this informa- 

 tion concterning roses. 



In handling this topic I shall merely 

 confine myself to stating facts with 

 wliich all of you, I am sure, have more 

 or less come in contact, leaving it for 

 the discussion to find the cause and 

 remedy, if it be possible. 



In the first place, are our forcing 

 roses deteriorating? If they are, why? 

 Can anyone prove by tiieir records that 

 they are still producing as many flowers 

 per plant as they did in the early stages 

 of their introduction, as in Brides, or 

 Maids, Beauties, or any other older forc- 

 ing variety? If they are not, what 

 seems to be the reason? 



Tn years gone by it was a common 

 thing to see Brides and Maids growing 

 from young plants on own roots in one 

 season to a height of from four to five 

 feet, giving from thirty to forty, or 

 even more, flowers on good stiff stems 

 per plant. But, liow often do we see it 

 now? 



Again, why liave so many growers 

 been forced to introduce the system of 

 grafting in growing Brides, Maids and 

 nearly every other forcing rose, with the 

 exception of Beauties, where in former 

 years plants on own roots did as well 

 and better? Diseases were then as they 

 are now, but were conditions as favor- 

 able to them then as now? Should con- 

 ditions be more favorable now, why 

 should such be the case? Are we less 

 careful in the methods of propagation, 

 or too much addicted to the use of high- 

 ly concentrated fertilizers? Whatever 

 the cause or causes may be, the fact re- 

 mains that places which were known for 

 their excellence in growing Brides or 

 Maids had to cease growing them grafted 

 or own roots. 



With American Beauty, our strongest 



growing forcing rose, the same state of 

 affairs holds good. Here is an illustra- 

 tion, recently told me by a grower of 

 Beauties who had remarkable success 

 with them. In the first year they 

 brought nim $16,000. Year after year, 

 however, they gradually brought less, 

 until eight years later they only brought 

 $3,500, with the same amount of plants 

 as at first. Of course he had to give up 

 growing them. Can anyone throw light 

 on this and similar cases happening all 

 over the country? 



In concluding, I hope that the mem- 

 bers present will take a lively interest in 

 discussing tliese important questions, but 

 1 would also appeal to all practical rose 

 growers all over the country, who, if 

 they should read them, if they think 

 they liave any solution for some of these 

 vital questions, to take an opportunity 

 to state them in their best beloved trade 

 ])aper, even though, it be but a few lines. 

 I am sure it would be greatly appre- 

 ciated by all concerned. 



LATEST METHODS IN GROWING. 



[A Paper by J. J. Curran, Klmira, N. Y.. 

 read before the American Rose Society at its 

 Hoston meeting: Maroh 23, 1906.] 



When I undertook to read a paper 

 before your society on this subject I 

 had little thought that in my researches 

 into the newer methods I should find so 

 little that was really new. It is an old 

 saying, and a true one, that there is 

 nothing new under the sun and I am 

 somewhat inclined now to be of that 

 opinion also, for Just as I would be con- 

 gratulating myself on having found or 

 lioard of something new, along comes 

 one of the eld boys and tells me that 

 this same method has been followed in 

 years gone by. After a few of these 

 disappointments 1 made up my mind to 

 give you such facts as I have gathered 

 in my researches. If they contain any- 

 thing new, so much the better; if they 

 are old they may bring back pleasant 

 recollections to some of us, and renew 

 the scenes of our youthful battles. 



Owe Much to Hybridists. 



When starting to review the newer 

 phases of rose culture it will be appro- 

 j)riate to start with the beginning of 

 the rose plant. By this I do not mean 

 the cutting, or scion, which, of course, 

 is no new plant but simply a perpetu- 

 ation of a branch of the original plant. 



I mean the product of the hybridist's 

 art. The skill, care and untiring energy 

 which these gentlemen have brought to 

 bear oh this branch of the business has 

 been of infinite benefit to the craft, 

 inasmuch as we now have a larger field 

 from which to choose our varieties; I 

 may also add that we have finer and 

 more suitable varieties to choose from, 

 l)ecause thege varieties have been raised, 

 having in view their suitability for 

 forcing purposes. 



These gentlemen deserve the thanks of 

 all growers, and among a host of other 

 workers our worthy president and E. G. 

 Hill, who have recently given us two such 

 valuable varieties as Wellesley and 

 Richmond, deserve our especial thanks. 

 Devoting very little time to this branch 

 of the business, I am unable to give you 

 any new pointers, and if our hybridists 

 have learned anything new they are hold- 

 ing it up for future use, or perhaps they 

 are only exercising that Scotch caution 

 recommended by the immortal Burns: 

 "Aye free aff hand your story tell. 



When wi ' a bosom crony, 

 But still keep something to yoursel, 



Ye scarcely tell to ony, " 



The Ordinary Grower. 



After having secured new varieties of 

 merit, the Avork of the ordinary grower 

 begins. In order to produce stock in 

 quantity and quality from these new 

 varieties is the condition now confronting 

 us so that we may be remunerated for 

 our skill and labor. 



Profiting by the mistakes made in by- 

 gone years our disseminators do not now 

 force the life and constitution out of the 

 variety in order to secure large quanti- 

 ties of young stock for market, but, 

 rather, grow it on a year or two longer, 

 studying its character and peculiarities 

 and paying especial regard to maintain- 

 ing and improving its constitution, so 

 that now when a variety is disseminated 

 we have every confidence that it will re- 

 spond to ordinary cultural methods when 

 due regard is taken of any peculiar 

 habits or traits it may possess. 



The time-honored method of perpetu- 

 ating varieties by cuttings is still almost 

 universally in practice and, when soil is 

 suitable, some varieties of stock so propa- 

 gated saicceod well. This subject has 

 called for a good deal of experiment and 

 discussion of late years and I think it is 

 conceded by most growers that where 



A Part of the Tea Roses Exhibited at Boston Last Week. 



