The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-05-28
THE COLOR OF ROSES.
Why 1t Is Impossible to Produce
Blue Variety.
A Talk with Florist Who Seems to Know
All About His Buslness-w Prize
offered Long Ago VIII Proba-
bly, Never he Claimed.

"a blue roseP" repeated q florist as
the words fell in inquiry from the lips
Of San Francisco Call reporter. "Why,
man, there never will be one; it's nat
ural impossibility."
A money prize stands ready to drop
into the hands Of the florist who does
produce one. 1t has been offered for
many years by the French Academy,
and as yet no one has ever appeared to
claim the reward. / think that all this
is one proof that the blue rose will not
be produced, although in these days Of
scientific research and chemical discov-
cry all things are to be regarded as pos
sessing a possibility Of achievement.
"How are the different varieties pro-
duced2" asked the reporter.
sin such manner as to still further
complicate the production Of blue
rose" was the reply.
Natural and assisted selection have
produced one hundred shades Of red,
from the lightest pink to the darkest
crimson. There are the Marechal Neil
VI bWO ulOlO NulAObAOo Va
yellow. Black, even, has been evolved
from the darker crimson. suppose the
rose whose petals are red on one side
and almost black on the other ia IA
miliar sight to you. The white rose,
which the Moslems devoutly believe
sprang into being from the great drops Of
sweat which fell from the brow Of Ma
homet in his ascent into Heaven, once
astonished an experimenting florist with
that monstrosity known as the green
rose. Its petals are jagged, curled, ser
rated, or like bunch OF green rose
leaves, or like head Of lettuce on a
very small scale.
whenever such variety appears,
either as a freak of nature or as a result
Of On experiment, 1t must be seized upon
and helped to remain in its new shape,
otherwise 1t will hasten to revert to Its
original color"
"Is that the reason why suckers must
always be removed from rose-bush7
asked his listener. eager TO show little
Horticultural knowledge.
Exactly"
'Is that the reason, too, why garden
ers trim rose-bush up high from the
roots, making the plant and its flowers
look like q big bouquet?"
'Tt is," replied the man Of rose
knowledge. "You see, 1t is by assisting
the organs Of the plant to perform their
natural functions that somo varieties
ere maintained, while to retard these or.
gans in their development will produce
another result, and to interfere with
them will produce yet another. Take
the last case, for instance; when gar
dener wishes to affect the color or the
size, or even the fragrance Of rose, he
takes the pollen from the blossom Of Q
different variety and places IL upon the
absorbent surface OF the pistil. Thii
crossing Of pollen, as 1t is called, Is re-
sponsible for most OF the varieties, al
though layering, suckering and graft
ing, both by bud and branch, have don't
much to further the production Of roses
"But want you TO take notice tina,
all these varieties have como from the
red, the yellow and the white roses
Red and yellow, what are these oolorsP'
primary colors," replied the listener
"Quite right" responded the florist
with the air Of 9 schoolmastsr; ''and h
you will take the trouble TO think mo
ment you will understand that since
blue Is also one Of the primary colors
10 produce blue rose is utterly out OF
the question.
"An artist would laugh at your ig
noranoe II you were to ask him 10 take
his tubes Of red and yellow paint and Il
produce you a blue tint Primary color
can not be sesolved into componen
colorsi they themselves are constituent
Of q pure white ray Of light. They
must exist; they can not be made.
"Color is only part Of flower, and
while there are plenty Of blue flowers
they are not roses, nor related 10 roses
and their pollen won't assimilate witt
that Of . rose; and, II that does not dis
pose Of the blue rose question, why, In
willing 10 hear what the next man ha
10 say on the subject" said the florist
with tone Of conviction.
ibid you ever bleach any rosesf'
asked the reporter.
"oh, that's m old trickl" laughed hi
informant. "old, whether It's done o.
we boys used TO do, by holding rose IL
the fumes OF burning match or plscini
IL in The sulphuring boz All IL docs &
TO turn the edges Of the petals an sshI
white. Some years ago there was I
chemist In this city who prepared |
chemical MIXTURE which had the prop
erty Of preserving . rose whose steu
was placed In IL fresh for over sigh
days, and II the rose was white one
the liquid being absorbed through w
sap channels, streaked the petals witt
lines Of red or turned them . delioat,
pink. ! have often put . white mar
guerite In red ink-stand, and In YER,
few minues the white petals arc blush
ing family. It's q pretty little expert
mont Then, by planting q pink plan
in ground imbedded with charcoal darl
results are obtained, and iron rust o
the roots will give . reddish tinge
These are experiments full Of interest
but, as for blue roses, no, SIR"