PORT STOCKTON NURSERY Rees 1941-1942 CATALOG 
SUPER ROSE BUSHES 
Grown by RAFFEL’S NEW METHOD 
In the past, more thought was given to new varieties of roses than to better methods of 
growing them. The own root rosebushes of years ago lacked vigor. Later the two-year 
old budded rosebushes were claimed to have the vigor from the wild rootstock they are 
budded on. They have some of this vigor, but a very small amount as the hybrid-tea 
foliage does not supply this fast growing root with sufficient carbon dioxide from the 
air, thus slacking up the growth of the roots. 
After some years of experimenting we discovered a method, which if properly followed, 
will supply the rootstock with sufficient carbon dioxide, so the hybrid-tea bush budded on 
it will grow about as fast as the wild stock in its natural state. 
Using this method, we are able to grow much larger plants of bush and tree roses in one 
year than by the old method in two years, and after they are planted in the rose gardens, 
they will produce many times more and much larger flowers. Two tree roses grown 
by this method (as shown in illustration No. 3) in our rose garden during 1938 their 
fourth year had over 1600 flowers each. Bush roses grown by this method do as well 
as tree roses. 
Super Bush Roses planted in our rose garden March Ist, 1938 have made more than three 
times the growth and have produced many times the number of flowers that ordinary 
two year old bushes did planted alongside of them at the same time. 
The Method used in our Nursery is to plant the wild Odorata cuttings during the winter 
months, and in the latter part of June or first of July insert three buds of the hybrid- 
tea variety instead of one as is usually done. These buds are forced out without re- 
moving the growth of the Odorata (wild stock). Thus the foliage of the wild stock 
supplies the buds with accurate amount of carbon dioxide from the air during the whole 
of the growing season. 
By digging time we have very large bushes, many of them three to four feet high. All being 
well branched and with a large, well branched root system, 
When digging these, we cut the hybrid-tea and also the wild tops back to about twelve 
inches. After planting them in the rose garden, the wild top is allowed to grow along 
with the hybrid-tea. Plant the “Super Bush Roses” so the lower bud or where they 
start branching from the main stump will be level with the ground. Cut out any wild 
growth that may grow from beneath this bud joint, but leave the wild growth which 
grows out above where the hybrid-teas are budded on. Occasionally a wild branch 
will grow straight upward. These can be tied downward, or bent beneath the other 
growth giving the rose garden a better appearence. 
The wild growth spreads out and downward, shades the ground and grows very little after 
the first year, but supplies the roots with the necessary amount of carbon dioxide. You 
may have one bush out of a large number that the wild will show more growth than 
the hybrid-tea. In this case you may thin some of the wild out. If you do not care 
to have this wild growth spread on the ground, you may cut it part way back, or you can 
cut it all off and the hybrid-tea bush will be much superior to ordinary bushes, but it 
is best to allow about one-half as much to grow the first year, as you have growth on 
the hybrid-tea top. On some of the bushes the wild may die out but you will find they 
still will be far superior to regular bushes. 
When pruning these Super Rose Bushes do not cut the hybrid-tea branches back quite as 
heavy as you do your regular bushes. If there is less than one-half as much wild 
growth as hybrid-tea, leave the wild unpruned. But if there is more thin some out. 
Try to visit our nursery and see how wonderfully these bushes grow and bloom. 
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