But “telling the truth about roses” has its difficulties. Truth, alas, 
is a flexible term, shaded by opinion. Such rose points as color, form 
and type vary according to taste. Growth and bloom habit are 
strongly influenced by location, soil, climate and the skill of the 
gardener. You cannot “tell the truth about a rose” and have this 
truth apply universally. 
There are basic virtues, however, which make a rose good. And 
among the hundreds of available varieties, old and new, are far more 
than we can hope to possess, which have outstanding quality and 
beauty, whether it be the rare delicacy of some old “‘rose of yesterday” 
or the latest handsome hybrid tea. 
Many a beautiful eastern-grown rose is unknown in California 
gardens. Likewise colder sections are missing the pleasure of western 
roses, through the strange and certainly erroneous impression that 
those propagated in mild climates are not hardy elsewhere. 
Lester Rose Gardens’ small place in the sun, will depend on our 
judgment in the selection of worthy varieties, wherever they may 
be found—the best of the surviving old roses, and the finest of the 
new. 
This simple catalogue lists far more kinds than are profitable to 
grow, but contains none which are not worthy by reason of beauty, 
charm, distinction, historical interest, or the sentiment of old memor- 
ies. On your response to this, our avowed purpose, and the quality 
of our plants and service, depends the measure of our success. 
We resign the following pages to your tender mercies. 
Loester Rose Gardens 
MarjoriE W. LESTER — WILL TILLOTSON 

If you would be happy for three hours, 
Get drunk. 
If you would be happy for three days, 
Kill a pig and eat it. 
If you would be happy for three months, 
Get married. 
If you would be happy your whole life long, 
Become a gardener. 
—FROM THE CHINESE 
