A New Quartet of 

U. S. Secretary of Agriculture re- 
ceiving latest Sub-Zero Roses from Miss 
Mary Durey, Minnesota Centennial 
Queen with invitation to President 
Truman tio attend that States Centen- 
nial. 

The sub-zero line of hybrid teas is a 
race developed from hardier species of 
roses of great vigor and sturdiness to 
withstand sub-zero winters. In Min- 
nesota this sub-zero line of roses is no 
longer in the experimental class. Here, 
as in other States in the upper Midwest 
these roses must contend with both ex- 
tremes of weather. Sometimes it is very 
hot for long stretches in summer and in 
wihter the bitter cold frequently drives 
the thermometer down to 25 degrees and 
30 degrees below zero for as long as six 
weeks or more at a time. The climate is 
changeable so it is easy to see that this 
section of the country is a severe test 
for any everblooming rose. The sub- 
zeroes have come through splendidly with 
the normal banking of soil and a cover- 
‘g of marsh hay. 
Good red roses have been scarce in 
the sub-zero class. So with the intro- 
duction of the quartette of real reds, 
the Brownells of Little Compton, Rhode 
Island, have filled a color gap for which 
every rose lover is truly grateful. 
The four reds, Dick Wilcox, Cedric 
Adams, Henry Field and Queen of the 
Lakes, resemble each other somewhat. 
They all clearly show their parentage— 
Crimson Glory crossed with Pink Prin- 
cess. Becuse Crimson Glory is probably 
the hardiest of all the regular hybrid 
teas the new varieties have a double 
shot of hardiness and vigor. All bloom 
freely, especially in late summer and 
fall when we get our best quality and 
most treasured bloom, ‘The foliage is 
clean and beautiful so that the plants 
are attractive all summer whether in 
Sub-Zero Red Roses 
By Richard S. Wilcox 
Director, American Rose 
Society 
Reprinted from Flower 

Grower Magazine 
A disease-resistant, long-stemmed and floriferous sub-zero rose 
has been named for Henry Field. 
bloom or not. The large blooms are of 
good keeping quality. 
DICK WILCOX has the deepest crim- 
son color with a Crimson Glory sheen. 
It is of good hybrid tea form and as a 
garden plant is perhaps more attractive 
than any other rose. It is upright, clean 
and neat with plenty of basal shoots 
and would make a splendid untrimmed 
hedge 3 to 4 feet high, possibly higher 
in a warmer climate. Dick Wilcox has 
been more widely tested in the State 
than any of the other three roses and 
all reports so far have been very favor- 
able even where grown under farm con- 
ditions in windswept fields. 
CEDRIC ADAMS is more spreading 
*n habit and the blossom is slightly more 
double. It is scarlet red in color and 
blooms freely. 
Besides having the good qualities of 
the rest of the group, HENRY FIELD 
appears to enjoy hot weather. At least 
it comes through our trying heat with 
less damage than any other rose in my 
garden. If further testing proves this to 
be one of its traits, then it is going to 
be of additional value to us, It is a big 
rose, very double but not so double, as 
to be unattractive when fully open. The 
color is bright red. 
QUEEN OF THE LAKES is a charmi 
miss even though she has masculi 
vigor. This is an informal rose wit 
loose petalage, medium double. 
color is about half way between Dick 
Wilcox and Henry Field with much of 
the brilliant sheen of Crimson Glory. A 
rare combination of sturdiness and 
beauty! 
Of course, a year’s testing is not 
enough to make certain of the good 
qualities of these roses, especially as far 
as hardiness is concerned. However, 
last winter there was more mortality 
among roses than in any of the more 
severe winters we have had. I think 
this was due to the fact that because of 
the hot and dry summer many of the 
roses did not go into winter quarters 
in vigorous condition. We had a chance 
to compare the behavior of the newer 
varieties with others whose value we 
knew. My test roses are not planted in 
special beds, they are planted right along 
with the other varieties so I can compare 
them under the same actual conditions 
Because of our tests and comparisons 
feel confident that these four roses 
are going to be an important addition 
to our limited list of easier-to-grow roses. 
They are not perfect of course, but they 
should satisfy anyone who wants color- 
ful red everblooming roses which will 
give him high quality bloom year after 
year without too much babying. 
we 
/ The rose growers of Minnesota feel 
t 
hat the Brownells have done a marve- 
/ tous job in retaining in these roses so 
much of the vigor and easy culture of 
the climber while adding the form and 
ever-blooming qualities of the hybrid tea 
and increasing the persistence and abund- 
ance of bloom, Because of this the Min- 
nesota Rose Society at its annual meet- 
The\. ing voted Walter D. Brownell its gold 
medal certificate for his successful en- 
eavors in giving us these easier-to- 
ghow and hardier everblooming roses. 

It is brilliant scarlet crimson. 
