ABOUT HENNESSEY ROSE PLANTS AND ROSE SHOWS 
It is best to realize that every rose variety in existence is at some time marvelous, 
otherwise the originator would never have continued to propagate it. This should be a 
lesson to you to not say, when you see a rose, that you want it. It may be impossible to 
live with, having a disposition that you as an amateur simply cannot seem to please. It 
may catch all the mildew that comes around or simply cannot let a blackspot spore go 
by, also have a lot of other bad habits that in humans would cause a divorce. 
I do my best to not propagate all of the new names that are so little different from 
the older varieties that the nurseryman has to look at the name stake to tell the 
difference. 
Twenty-five years ago it was high pressure selling by word of mouth and per- 
sonality. Today it is being done with color. The photographers are working overtime 
getting pictures under the most favorable conditions that you may in the garden never 
be able to duplicate. The engravers do a little improving so that the result, even if 
you never get a bloom, pays for your efforts (I hope). 
I seem to be fairly successful, judging by my customers, in my picking only those 
that will give results for you with a minimum of swearing and I believe that I have 
about every top color and form represented IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO AND STILL 
HAVE A GOOD PLANT or else I will tell you what to expect with such as that most 
gorgeous of all pink roses, ““The Doctor’ or that Lulu is not a large growing plant or 
that Treasure Island used to be very temperamental but that from this last crop I can 
promise you some of the longest, most gorgeous rosebuds in existence though if you 
cut too many the plant will sulk and does not like the midwest sun for more than a few 
“morning hours even though the bloom can really take the heat, yet in the northwest it 
will make a good plant though not a huge one. 
There are a lot of ballyhooed names and varieties that are great on the show table, 
but look like the morning after in the garden and, after the first flush of Spring is 
over, when the gorgeous scarlets fade to a sickly lavender and the yellow reverse looks 
like wartime cream, better see these beauties of the show table at home with a kimono 
on before you say ‘Gimme,’ and then fork over the folding money, or if you cannot 
buy from someone you can trust. 
