March 0, 1913. 



The Florists' Review 



33 





Rose Growing Establishment of McAIpiae Bros., at Ezeter» N. H. 



McALPINE BROS. 



Among the best known of the more 

 recent additions to the ranks of New 

 England rose growers are McAlpine 

 Bros., of Exeter, N. H. After care- 

 fully studying the rose growing situa- 

 tion for some time, as well as the gen- 

 eral features and market conditions in 

 and around Boston, W. A. and George 

 F. McAlpine decided to erect one large 

 rose house as a good business invest- 

 mfsnt. Suitable land was procured at 

 Exeter, N. H., where there is a gocl 

 soil for roses, as well as a pure atmosr 

 phere, and a Lord & Burnham house, 

 60x400, was erected and planted in the 

 summer of 1911. 



The brothers, in order to achieve the 

 best results, decided to divide their 

 labors. William A., who had had some 

 years- of experience as salesman for 

 William H. Elliott, his uncle, and for 

 the J. A. Budlong & Son Co., of Auburu, 

 K. I., decided that he was best fitted 

 to attend to the firm's interests at the 

 selling end, in the Boston Flower Ex 

 change, while his brother, George F., 

 who had spent some years at W, H, 

 Elliott's big Madbury establishment as 

 foreman and achieved marked success 

 there, took charge of the growing tnd, 

 at Exeter. The new firm's name, Mc- 

 Alpine Bros., New England Rose Con- 



servatories, Exeter, N. H., soon became 

 known in flower growing circles. 



The first year the young firm 

 achieved such success that their roses 

 were eagerly sought after by the most 

 critical buyers, and it was therefore de- 

 cided to erect another Lord & Burnham 

 house, 60x400, early in 1912. This was 

 planted the same season and the prod- 

 ucts of the two houses are of such qual- 

 ity that they are already known beyond 

 the confines of New England. 



No time or space has been wasted by 

 experimenting on new and untried sorts, 

 only such as the public demands being 

 grown. The varieties raised are: 

 American Beauty, Killarney and White 

 Killarney, Killarney Queen, Mrs. Aaron 

 Ward, Lady Hillingdon and Richmond. 

 The Richmonds grown at Exeter have 

 caused many a gasp of astonishment 

 this season, both in New York and Bos- 

 ton — stems up to seventy-two inches in 

 length and flowers of marvelous size 

 and substance. Other roses are equally 

 well grown, leaving no doubt that this 

 young and progressive firm has made 

 good and is in the field to stay. 



W. N. Craig. 



WITH NEAR-BOSTON GROWERS. 



The new carnation house of Wm. R. 

 Nicholson, at Framingham, Mass., Lord 

 & Burnham construction, is a grand 



sight, feeing a veritable sheet of flow- 

 ers and buds. All the other carnation 

 houses are in good crop also. Beacon 

 has, of late, burst heavily, the first 

 year it has done so. A small batch of 

 Commodore looked well, and this will 

 be largely planted next season. Whit© 

 Wonder and White Enchantress are fine, 

 with not much choice between them. 

 Benora is splendid. Pocahontas is a big 

 fancy crimson, now giving a great crop. 

 Pink Delight has the field to itself in 

 its particular color, and Gloriosa is do- 

 ing splendidly. Golden Ray is bloom- 

 ing profusely, but is rather small, and 

 two new yellows will be substituted for 

 it next season. Some promising seed- 

 lings were noted in one house. Mignon- 

 ette as grown here is grand; probably 

 none better is to be found in the coun- 

 try. Several houses are devoted to yel- 

 low marguerites, mostly old veterans 

 with gnarled stems. Grown in large 

 pots which were partially plunged, they 

 are giving some fine flowers. Shant- 

 rocks in small pans were well grown. 

 Freesias are also grown here in quan- 

 tity. The Godfrey calla is a wonderful 

 bloomer as growii.here, as many as six 

 flowers being open on one 8-inch pot. 

 Mr. Nicholson has plans laid for a big 

 carnation house for 1914, dimensions to 

 be 80x450. This house will accommo- 

 date 35,000 plants. 

 S. J. Goddard, South Framingham, 



Interior of One of the Rose Houses of McAlpine Bros., Exeter, N. H. 



