Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-07-02
A BLUE ROSE.

why IL Is Impossible TO Produce One
Mo One Vet Able TO Gain the
Prize.
ga blue rosea" repeated florist as the
words fell in inquiry from the lips OF San
Francisco Gall reporter. "Why, man. there
never will be one; it's natural impossible
ga money prize stands ready to drop into
the hands Of the florist who does produce
one. It has been offered for many years by
the French academy, and as yet no one has
ever appeared to claim the reward. I think
that all this is one proof that the blue rose
will not be produced, although in these days
of scientific research and chemical discovery
sll things are to be regarded a. possessing
possibility of achievement"
"How are the different varieties pro-
ducedW asked the reporter.
elm such manner as to still further COM
plicate the production of blue rose," was
the reply.
duced one hundred shades of red, from the
liChtest pink to the darkest crimson. There
are the Marechal Neil and hundred or two
more varieties of yellow. Black, even, has
been evolved from the darkest crimson. I
suppose the rose whose petals are red on one
side and almost black on the other IL q 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 Hahomet In his ascent
into heaven. once astonished an experiment.
ing forist with that monstrosity known aa
the green rose. Its petals are jagged, curled
serrated, or like a bunch of green rose
leaves, or like head of lettuce on o very
small scale.
whenever such variety appears, either
| as freak of nature or as result of an ex-
pertinent, it must be seized upon and helped
to remain in Its new shape, otherwise 1t vii
hasten to revert to its original COLOR"
"Is that the reason why suckers must al
ways be removed from rosebusha" asked
his listener, eager to show little foricultur
al knowledge
| "Exactly."
| ISIS that the reason, too, why gardener
trim rosebush up high from the roots, max
ing the plant and its flowers look like q biz
| bouquet"
lit is" replied tbs man of rose knowl
edge. "You see 1t is by assisting the organ
| of the plant to perform their natural func
| tions that some varieties are maintained
while to retard these organs in their develop
| ment will produce another result, and to In
terfere with them will produce yet another
Take the last case, for instance, when a gar
dener wishes to affect the color or the size, o
| even the fragrance of a rose, he takes tn
pollen from the blossom of a different varie
ty and places it upon the absorbent surfac
of the pistil. This crossing of pollen, 90
Ia called, is responsible for most of the vari
cites, although leyering, suckering and graft
ing, both by bud and branch, have don
much to further the production of roses.
"But want you to take notice that al
these varieties have come from the red, tn
yellow and the white roses. Red and vel
low, what are these colors?"
"Primary colors," replied the listener.
| sOaito riohk - rosn0pdad fha A0riat vvif
the sir of a sehoolmaster, "and If you wi
take the trouble to think a moment you wi
understand that since blue Is also one of tn
primary colors, to produce blue rose is u,
terly out of the question.
can artist would laugh at your ignoranc
| if you were to ask him to take his tubes G
! red and yellow paint and to produce you
blue tint. Primary colors cannot be resolve
into component colors; they themselves al
constituents of pure white ray of ligh
They must exist; they cannot be made.
"Color ia only a part of flower, ani
while there are plenty of blue flowers, the
are not roses nor related to roses, and the
pollen won'G assimilats with that of q ros'
, and, if that does not dispose of the blue ros
next man has TO say on the subject" sal
the florist, with tone of conviction.
'Did you ever bleach any rosesa" aske
, the reporter.
ooh, that's an old trick" laughed his II
j formant. "Old, whether it's done as v
boys used to do, by holding rose in Il
fumes of burning match or placing 1t in
, sulphuring box. ALI it does is to turn tt
edges of the petals an ashy white. Son
time ego there was a chemist in this ci
, who prepared a chemical mixture which hs
the property of preserving rose whose ste
was placed in it fresh for over eight day
and If the rose was white one, the liqu
being absorbed through the sap channel
= stresked the petals with lines of red
, turned them delicate pink. I have ofte
! put a white marguerite in a red inkstan
: and in a very few minutes the white pets
: are blushing family. It is pretty little e:
! pertinent. Then, by planting u pink plal
, in ground imbedded with charcoal, dark I
, suits are obtained. and iron rnst at the roo
: will give a reddish tinge. These are expel
/ ments full of interest; but, as for blue rose
ID