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essa 
rye 
from ^(. orvat/i 
T HE wild, or species, or natural Rose 
has always had its admirers, as these 
Roses grew to perfection in the fields 
and woods. Through a succession of 
centuries garden Roses have developed 
because it was discovered that the Rose 
was singularly amenable to hybridization 
and cross-fertilization. Thus during the 
reign of Napoleon the Empress Josephine 
induced horticulturists to send her new 
varieties, so that she had at Malmaison 
probably a thousand of the Roses then 
obtainable. Hybridization has since gone 
on, so that there are now commercially 
available in the world at least three thou¬ 
sand varieties, to say nothing of many 
thousands which have passed into desue¬ 
tude. 
My interest was early given to the de¬ 
velopment of better hardy climbing Roses. 
In 1892 I obtained the first hybrid with 
the Rosa Wichuraiana of Japan, thus be¬ 
ginning the modern strain of large-flow¬ 
ered hardy climbing Roses. In 1897 I ex¬ 
hibited 14 new varieties at the first show 
held by the American Rose Society in the 
famous Eden Musee of New York City. 
These were seen and admired by many 
rosarians, with the result that many sim¬ 
ilar hybrids were made. 
But most of these imitative varieties 
were of the small cluster type, similar to 
the Rosa Multiflora Hybrids. The late Dr. 
W. Van Fleet varied from this method 
and produced admirable large-flowered 
hybrids yet in commerce. 
The continuous inbreed'ng in the at¬ 
tempt to get larger size and brighter color 
into the Wichuraiana strain weakened it 
to the point where most of the varieties 
failed in winter hardiness. Naturally there 
resulted a demand for hardier and more 
sturdy Roses in varieties which would not 
require pampering but which, with rea¬ 
sonable care, would live through most 
United States winters without loss. There 
was also manifested a strong desire for 
hardy hybrid bush Roses which would 
thrive where Hybrid Tea Roses could not 
endure. Responding to this need, my new 
Rose originations cover the full range of 
colors, and many of these new climbing 
Roses have flowers as large and fine as 
any existing Hybrid Tea. Further, as 
Dooryard and Hedge Roses there have re¬ 
sulted forms and shapes of plants not 
hitherto seen. These results were accom¬ 
plished through painstaking and event¬ 
ually successful experiments in the intro¬ 
duction of other species strains not pre¬ 
viously used. 
In knowledge of these facts and these 
conditions the task of producing Roses 
has been continued. The disastrous win¬ 
ters of 1917-1918 and of 1933-1934 pro¬ 
vided valuable testing opportunities as to 
winter hardiness. Enduring these, the new 
varieties provide a foundation stock able 
to withstand many degrees below zero, 
yet producing large and lovely Roses 
equal to most of the tender sorts. This 
work continues, for I am working still 
further to augment these qualities so 
that Roses may be wintered over success¬ 
fully even in the far North. 
It has been arranged to have The Way- 
side Gardens Company introduce and dis¬ 
seminate these new, hardy Roses of my 
origination. About fifty new creations 
are under test, but only those of decided 
merit will be marketed. The six varieties 
offered this year, each one well worth 
while in itself, form, I believe, the begin¬ 
ning of a new and most valuable strain of 
Roses. They will be offered under the 
designation of "Horvath's Setigera and 
Xanthina Hybrids." 
Respectfully yours, 
M. H. HORVATH. 
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