Febritarx 3, 1910. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



J5 



Plants From Which to Propagate. 



It is, of course, the desire of every 

 jrrower to produce blooms of the highest 

 .■rade possible, and there is no better 

 Ume to start than at the propagating 

 season, when we may be said to be lay- 

 ing the foundation of next season's work. 



The observant grower cannot fail to 

 notice the wide difference in behavior 

 that exists between plants of a variety 

 treated identically, and it is probable 

 liiat he can select from the number in 

 his care those which from the start have 

 -rown sturdily, preserved a neat habit, 

 ijpcome reestablished quickly after hous- 

 i'lg, and have given bloom, continuously 

 ;.ut not too profusely, of first-class qual- 

 ify. Propagation from these would be 

 icimed improvement by selection, and, 

 \ith a large stock of plants, little diffi- 

 ( ulty is experienced in securing in this 

 way a supply sufficient for ordinary 

 needs. 



Propagation of New Introductioni. 



It is when the desire is to increase 

 stock of a new variety that we are liable 

 to encounter the difficulty of maintaining 

 rigid selection, by reason of the natural 

 inclination to utilize every cutting jiro- 

 chiced by the plants, of which, as a rule, 

 there is only a small stock at hand. 

 There is, however, even more reason for 

 careful selection here than in the case 

 of an old, standard sort, as the intro- 

 ducer is compelled to confine his atten- 

 tion chiefly to the production of vigorous 

 growth during dissemination year, his 

 work of selection having been carried on 

 during previous years. It would be un- 

 reasonable to expect the disseminator of 

 a new variety to send out cuttings se- 

 lected with the care a grower would exer- 

 cise in propagating stock for his own 

 use, as the cost of producing such cut- 

 tings would render their selling price 

 prohibitive. 



True propagation consists of more 

 tiian increasing stock by the greatest 

 number possible. Quality, rather than 

 (juantity, should be the first considera- 

 tion. Then we would hear less about the 

 running out or breaking down of varie- 

 ties, which is no doubt largely due to 

 promiscuous propagation under high 

 l)ressure. Geo. S. Osborn. 



VHY JOIN THE ROSE SOCIETY ? 



[A paper by Ailolpli Karenwald, of Uosl.vn, 

 I'll., read February 1, before the Florists' Club 

 "f riiiladelpliia.] 



I liave often wonderetl why so many 

 small rose growers give the Rose Society 

 til'' cold shoulder. The large rose grow- 

 t'ls all seem to be members. Why should 

 til is be so? Have the small growers no 

 lii'Tipfit to expect from membershif) in the 

 Aiiierican Rose Society, or are they preju- 

 diced against it? Surely there is no 

 •■•'I use for either of these reasons. The 

 iii'ist of them have not come near enough 

 til sec and understand. It is time, then, 

 'li-it they make an earnest effort to see 

 ■'iiil understand, and by doing so they 

 *\ill soon recognize the value of this or- 

 yniiization in the many tasks which it 

 I'tideavors to fulfill, every one being of 

 ^ital interest to every rose grower. 



As I said before, the large growers 

 •'" all members. Now, did you ever stop 

 '" lliink why they are? Surely not for 

 I'" fun of it. They are all too shrewd 

 '•I'^iness men. The money they invest 

 '[' • way must bring them some interest. 

 '■'i},'ht your pipe," as they say, and 

 ""'ik this over; it is worth while. 



'' is high time that we, as rose grow- 



Adolph Farenwald. 



ers, took notice that the carnation is 

 pushing the rose into second place in the 

 favor of the public. 



It is impossible for me, in this short 

 paper, to go into all the different sub- 

 jects of usefulness of the American Rose 

 Society, to pluck them apart and hold 

 thom up to the searchlight. I will mere- 

 ly confine myself to the yearly exhibition 

 and convention, their value as au educa- 

 tion and inspiration. 



March 16, 1910, the yearly exhibition 

 and convention will be held in New York 

 city. Now, fellow members, this gives 

 you a fine opportunity to realize the 

 value of such an exhibition as an educa- 

 tion and inspiration. Most of vis think 

 we grow better roses than the other fel- 

 low. An exhibition will open our eyes. 

 Roses that at home we thought wonder- 

 ful, often diminish decidedly in our esti- 

 mation when placed in competition with 

 others. Here is the education, if we 

 want to see it. We are in this business 

 for money. If roses are not up to stand- 

 ard, we will not realize on them as we 

 should. This may be a bitter pill to 

 swallow, but it should be the inspiration 

 for a greater and continued effort, which 

 will easily pay in the future for the little 

 time and money it took. 



At the exhi])ition we also have an op- 

 portunitj' to see alongside of the old 

 standards the new varieties. The origi- 

 nators of these new varieties are sure to 

 be at hand, each man eager to explain 

 the strong jioints of his particular fa 

 vorite, his rival only too eager to point 

 out the flaws. There, too, yctu will see 

 many of the brightest lights in the rose- 

 growing profession, from whom you can 

 get valuable pointers. You have the 

 great pleasure of meeting old friends. 

 Besides, the social side of these gather- 

 ings has a charm which no one who has 

 ever attended can forget. 



While we can read in our trade paper 

 the essays read at the c(mvention meet- 

 ings, yet we miss the after-discussions 

 and criticisms, which are a most impor 

 taut and essential part of such meetings. 



Then, too, the enthusiastic arguments of 

 some members, the hair-splitting argu- 

 ments of others, the sound advice of 

 those who confine themselves strictly to 

 business, so that one fairly sees the dol- 

 lars sticking out, all combine to make 

 these meetings serve as food for thought 

 for many a day thereafter. 



To make this Rose Society a success, 

 it needs the interest and enthusiastic 

 support of all rose growers, large and 

 small, over the entire country. 



Every one who grows roses for a liv- 

 ing should feel it a sacred duty to be- 

 long to this society; in fact, every one 

 interested in roses should belong and 

 help bear out the motto of the society, 

 ' ' A rose for every home, a bush for every 

 garden. ' ' Then anyone growing roses 

 for a living who cannot or will not be 

 interested in the work of this society, 

 will be the one who continuously kicks 

 about bad times and ])rices, and howls 

 about the '"good old times.'' He is a 

 dead one. "Peace be to his ashes." 



KANSANS WILL ORGANIZE. 



It is announced that the florists in 

 the state of Kansas will organize and 

 shortly will hold a meeting in Topeka 

 for that purpose. Ed G. Bass asks all 

 florists in the state to communicate with 

 Philip I'. Willson, 014 Kansas avenue, 

 Topeka, who will act as the attorney in 

 perfecting the organization and incorpo- 

 ration. 



Thomp.sonvillk, Coxx. — While driv- 

 ing recently to Westfield, Mass., to se- 

 cure a large boiler to be used in the new 

 greenhouses of the Brainard Floral & 

 Nursery Co., Michael Nash was overcome 

 by the intense cold, but soon recovered. 



Bkveri.y, ^Iass. — Mrs. Evans, the 

 owner of the place known as the sum- 

 mer White House, is planning to erect 

 a first-class greenhouse and fernery, be- 

 sides making other improvements to suit 

 the needs of the President and his 

 family. 



