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Entrance to main driveway. Charles Dingee in the foreground 



I found a plant-growing enterprise conducted upon more modern business lines. It would appear 

 that from the time Charles Dingee conceived the novel idea of growing good Roses on their own 

 roots and selling them throughout the countn,', making deliveries by mail, there has been kept the 

 closest possible record of the character and performances of every Rose introduced, so that its actual 

 value for home-garden growing is here fully known. 



It seemed most remarkable to me, several years ago, that a man who had entered into a business 

 career of national magnitude ten years before the war, should still be hale and hearty and full of 

 Rose love and Rose lore, even though no longer actively concerned in the daily details of the enter- 

 prise he founded; but it now seems almost mar\-elous that Charles Dingee, eighty-four years of age, 

 should today retain a large proportion of the physical vigor that has marked his long life, and, seem- 

 ingly, every iota of the wonderful mental strength which has made him such a power among his fel- 

 lows. On the other hand, it has not been surprising to note the deep regard in which Mr. Dingee is 

 held by the younger men on whose shoulders now rest the responsibilities he once carried, nor the 

 consideration which they give to his ideas and ad\'ice. The sturdy French Huguenot blood in its 

 American application never produced a stronger character than that of Charles Dingee. 



Some time ago I began to urge upon P. J. Lynch, general manager of The Dingee &: Conard Co., 

 the importance of preserv'ing in some permanent form the important things in reference to Rose- 

 growing, learned by the Dingees during their three-score-years-and-ten of daily attendance upon 

 the "Queen of Flowers." It has been finally decided that the sixtieth anniversary year of The Dingee 

 & Conard Co. affords a most appropriate time for the presentation in concrete form of an epitome 

 of the Rose-growing lore which has made West Grove famous. In making the plans for the mechani- 

 cal form of their book, in which this matter is to appear, and arranging for its illustration. I have 

 asked the privilege of writing this introduction, which has been graciously accorded me. I'pon look- 

 ing over the material for the book, which is herewith presented to you, the Rose-loving millions of 

 America, there again came over me the fragrant memories of the Dingee Roses in grandmother's 

 garden. I feel perfectly assured that the book will be warmly welcomed by the scores of thousands 

 of Dingee customers throughout the United States, most of whom have been privileged to visit 

 West Grove in desire only, and, that, with thousands of new patrons, they will be led by its attrac- 

 tive form and valuable contents to order so many of the splendid Roses it describes as to make this 

 sixtieth anniversary year surpass in volume of business any other in the honorable history of '"Dingee." 



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