January 1, 1951 



*Jlcw^ ^ettefi (a Oufi St€ift /Rode 'pncendd: 



Never were Star Roses more popular nor were more of them sold than in the year 

 just past. We believe the increasing demand is due in large measure to the high stand- 

 ard of quality and the reliable service that we are known to provide from our head- 

 quarters here at West Grove. There are many, many people who are like the caretaker 

 at the Rose Garden of Dumbarton Oaks, where, ahead of the San Francisco Conference, 

 was carved out the pattern for the United Nations. A recent visitor there reported to 

 us that on a tour of historic Washington, when admiring the Rose Garden at Dumbarton 

 Oaks, he asked, "Where do you get your plants?" The answer was "There is just one 

 place in the U. S. A. to get Roses and that is Star Roses at West Grove, Pennsylvania." 



Preparation of this catalog and the growing and caring for the Star Rose plants to 

 be sent to you who order from us, has kept some of us solidly on the job. The business 

 of growing good Roses is as demanding as keeping a big <dairy. Roses, too, demand 

 constant, steady and devoted attention on the part of those charged with producing 

 the plants of Star Rose quality. 



When the chance comes, we visit other growers and testing stations, compare their 

 techniques with our own, and adopt improvements when found. This year, for example, 

 scientists on our Rose testing grounds experimented with a new technique for feeding 

 plants through the foliage by the application of plant foods in solution sprayed on the 

 leaves, for absorption through their stomata. All this, to be sure, like other advanced 

 ideas in the science of plant growth, is still in the experimental stage. 



Another front-line pioneer practice of ours which we steadily maintain is to know 

 the new Roses long before they come on the market. This means travel over two con- 

 tinents. From my twelve-thousand-mile trip through nine nations of Europe last 

 summer for new varieties, I can assure you I did not come home empty-handed. PEACE 

 is not the last but rather the first of the newer, finer types of Roses. I traveled to find 

 and bring home for testing more of the better sorts. 



How fruitful are these annual trips to Europe may be judged by the 1951 introductions 

 in this catalog. (See outside cover pages and page 2.) Here you will see good, new com- 

 panions for PEACE. You will be able to win blue ribbons with them; they have what it 

 takes and after a trial, we are sure you will share with us our enthusiasm for them. 



In another way 1950 has been a record year — that is, in the nvmiber of visitors to 

 Star Rose Gardens. First in mid- July came our Rose-producing friends, many from the 

 Pacific Coast, to visit us before and after the Nurserymen's Convention in Washing- 

 ton, D. C. Even California growers were amazed at the large size of our plants! 



Then on October 4 we enjoyed entertaining a post-convention tour of 200 members 

 of the American Rose Society from all over the nation. Between the two events came 

 Red Rose Rent Day (September 9) with 700 of our guests including the Garden Club 

 Federation of Pennsylvania, as co-hosts and guests. All witnessed the payment of the 

 Rent of the Red Rose HAPPINESS to a tenth-generation descendant of William Penn. 



These and many others, in the days and weeks between, stopped at Red Rose Inn 

 as headquarters for a meal or more and reveled in the acres and acres of Star Roses, 

 showing their colors for all the world like a mammoth waving flag, because our undu- 

 lating land takes well to contour planting, revealing wave on wave of glorious color. 



So you see we have the advantage of growing Star Roses right here at West Grove. 

 Not all nurserymen are so fortunate. We show our colors to ^1 who come. Thus you 

 may see the varieties you will get when you are ready to order from our catalogs. Most 

 of our Roses are dug here in tiie West Grove area, though the demand has increased 

 to compel supplementing this supply with a few carefully chosen from growers whose 

 crops we personally inspect. 



We invite you to come whenever you can, but meanwhile, do order your Roses early. 

 Later comers are almost bound to be disappointed, as Roses will be in short supply. 



THE CONARD-PYLE CO. 

 Sfar Rose Groyners 

 WEST GROVE. PA. \ I p,^,y^^ 



