The 1945 Blooming Season 
We had perhaps nicer blooms the past season on the whole than for several years 
before. While a few varieties did not perform as well as we have seen them before, 
many others were better than we had previously grown them. Our notes will be 
brief and many of the more familiar things will be omitted;—also, some of the new- 
est which we did not have the opportunity to judge. 
Red varieties are becoming better represented by kinds having better facing 
of blooms and better growing habits. Commando in light red and Red Charm in a 
deeper shade make very nice formal spikes with large blooms. For brilliance in 
color and length of spike Errey’s Scarlet seems to come near the top of the list. The 
new Chehalem appears to be a contender for honors as a show flower and a com- 
mercial. Burgundy, Marsellaise, Kenwood, Flame Queen and Mercury all look like 
good commercials. A very consistent performer is Stoplight. Perhaps none of the 
reds is any more popular with visitors than Burma. 
Ballad, Geraldine (Pruitt), Eglantine, H. B. Pitt and Pink Paragon form a quin- 
tet of pinks and salmon pinks from which it would be difficult to pick the most 
beautiful. All are very good. Pink Paragon is possibly the purest pink we have, 
and the beautiful large ruffled blossoms of soft clear pink with white throat pro- 
duced by Eglantine were magnificent. No less beautiful is Susannah with its de- 
lightfully ruffled blooms. For extremely heavy rufiling, All Ruffles and Genghis 
Khan are among the leaders. Both are of beautiful color. 
In the rose pinks, our tall strain of Oregon Rose has produced the blooms most 
in demand by local florists of anything we had. When available Miss Wisconsin 
will be in tremendous demand. Timor is a very good commercial and should be 
widely grown. H. R. Hancock with its impressive white blotches is quite magnifi- 
cent. 
We haven’t so many orange, buff and yellow varieties. Of the first class, 
Bobby Dazzler was outstanding this year. Halloween, Dazzler, Rio Rita, and Lan- 
tana are very good and Padre is distinctly different. The buff white Athlone makes 
long spikes with many open blooms. In yellows, Spotlight, Autumn Gold, Crinkle 
Cream and Cream Puff have been good. 
Whites and creams are becoming more plentiful and it seems the greatest ad- 
vances have been made in this section recently. Leading Lady and Silver Wings 
are magnificent for either exhibition or cut flowers. Alpine is quite as beautiful as 
any white I have ever seen. Matterhorn still makes about as good spikes as any 
big white. In creams, White Gold and Winston are among the leaders. 
Among the lavenders, Elizabeth the Queen appears the best that has yet been 
introduced but Badger Beauty and Barbara Jane are very good. The newer Minstrel 
looks good. Purples are will represented by Lancaster, Convoy, Purple Supreme, 
Mrs. Mark’s Memory and the beautifully ruffled Rangoon. Of the blues and violets 
Bluet is still a favorite while Allegro, Blueblood, Leonardo da Vinci, and several 
others deserve growing. 
Of the newer smokies, Tunia’s Mahomet is one of the most spectacular. C. W. 
Gannett makes huge tall spikes while for cut flowers Beltrami, Tecumseh, and 
Xerxes are more satisfactory. Tecumseh, in particular, has a unique coloring and 
strange orchid like form that makes it quite exotic. Those who like the unusual are 
appealed to by R. B. G. E. M. 
