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The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



May 5, 1910. 



ROSES PAST AND PRESENT. 



[A paper by Antolne Wintzer, of West Grove, 

 Pa., read before the Florists' Club of Philadel- 

 phia May 3, 1910.] 



My first lessons with the rose came 

 when with the Parsons nurseries on Long 

 Island, where I very well remember help- 

 ing to sell some hybrid perpetuals at $1 

 a plant. It was about then that Parsons 

 set out to emulate the European growers, 

 importing a man for the purpose and lay- 

 ing out five acres in fine style, and cost- 

 ing them no less than $10,000. 



One old rose then in use was Baronne 

 Prevost. Up to that time roses had been 

 grown on root grafts. Parsons' were 

 using William's Evergreen for that pur- 

 pose. Own root roses were not grown to 

 any extent until 1860 to 1865 and from 

 1865 to 1870 marked the introduction of 

 many excellent hybrid perpetuals still in 

 existence, and then as always the breeders 

 seemed to follow the line of demand in 

 the class of roses they worked upon. 



„ .Work of the Breeders. 



Eugene Verdier, of Paris, was the fore- 

 most breeder of the day, often introduc- 

 ing as many as twenty-five new varieties 

 a year. 



It is now the hybrid teas that are being 

 annually) introduced in large numbers; 

 i. e., more hybrid teas than all other 

 classes combined, and we have some ex- 

 cellent ones in La Tosca and Wellesley. 

 Mme. Eugene Marlitt is an excellent and 

 most vigorous grower. 



Baltimore Belle, Prairie Queen and 

 Russell 's Cottage were prominent climbers 

 during my first years in the business, but 

 this class has been wonderfully improved 

 with the addition of the Rambler and the 

 hybrids of Wichuraiana. Famous in the 

 work of hybridizing these are such men 

 as Dawson, Manda, Van Fleet, Walsh and 

 others. Prominent among the kinds they 

 hbve given us and valuable for our use to- 

 day are Lady Gay, Farquhar, May Queen, 

 Ruby Queen, Dorothy Perkins, Minne- 

 haha, and others. This galaxy was led 

 by the Crimson Rambler, first introduced 

 by Turner through the Kew Gardens. 



We must not overlook the single roses, 

 because for the last ten years they have 

 grown to be much more popular. The 

 most popular single climber is the Amer- 

 ican Pillar, originated by Dr. Van Fleet 

 and introduced by Conard & Jones Co. 

 Its introduction into England by Cannell 

 & Sons marked its first real recognition. 

 Brilliant carmine with white eye, a most 

 vigorous grower and entirely hardy. 

 Such roses as this are being used by men 

 on large estates for embankments. 



Classes that are Neglected. 



Classes of roses that are being sadly 

 neglected by hybridizers today are the 

 Bourbon and China, such as Souvenir de 

 Malmaison and Agrippina, which are 

 fine. I believe that in this class there 

 is likely to be some good work done in 

 the future among rose breeders. 



Another class worthy of note is the 

 Scotch briers, Harrison's Yellow, Persian 

 Yellow, Austrian Brier and others, but 

 of these Harrison's is best, easily grow- 

 ing five, to six feet high and as thick 

 through. P'like Stanwell's Perpetual 

 very much,- j^ith its fragrant foliage and 

 fine little flowers. 



The landscaper's rose for shrub and 

 hedge use is Rosa rugosa. Conrad Fer- 

 dinand Meyer is a good one, also Sir 

 Thomas Lipton, New Century and Rosa 

 ragosa magnifica. For use in a cold cli- 

 mate these are especially swited. 



In the breeder's work, imagination 

 plays an important part. It helps him 

 to see what he is striving for, and if 

 such aim is conscientiously followed the 

 result is alm'ost sure to come out right. 



The Grandest Work of AIL 



Of course we must have money; we 

 cannot work without it, for we must have 

 our three daily meals and dress. But 

 among rose growers, a grand work is be- 

 ing done in this world, because they love 

 their work, and their work will benefit 

 the world. Dr. Van Fleet is a man of 

 this type and I am glad there is now a 

 good rose named for him, because he is 

 one of Ood's noblemen. We want more 

 such work and those of us who bring 

 ourselves to do some such good work, and 

 to leave the world better for that work, 

 will achieve as much human happiness 

 as any. 



The rose-growing industry is still in 

 its infancy. Where we grow one rose 

 our children's children will grow a thou- 

 sand. When the first 40,000 roses were 

 produced people asked "Where will you 

 sell them?" but even now 40,000 is a 

 mere drop. 



Has the rose a future? Where is the 

 man who will say "No"? Isn't it 

 grand to help beautify the world? Isn't 

 it better for us thus to devote ourselves 

 to work of peace, and indeed, dear 

 friends, what will do more to promote 

 peace than just such work as we are 

 doing? 



Let me close by quoting Dean Hole: 

 "He who would have fine roses in his 

 garden must first hav^ fine roses in his 

 heart." 



Antoine Vintzer. 



