Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-03-24
ROSE CULTURE.
HOW NEW YoRKS SUPPLY OF
THE FLOWER Is OBTAINED.
Half Hundred Plant Growers
Grouped Within a Radius III
Two Miles-Methods oil
Propagation.

flowers arc growing are 10 De
found along every railroad lead
ing into New York, aud the local
business they represent is very large. In
the HOLIDAYS the transactions of each oil
several commission dealers in flowers
amount daily to from $4,000 to SIS, 900.
At other times sum varying from $1,000
to $500 represents the corresponding
individual business each day.
The greatest of the rose centres around
New York is at Madison, n. j., where
the planthouses of forty or fifty growers
are grouped within n radius OF two miles
from the railway station. At "Rosc
Madison" as this place is sometimes
called. the fortunes of some of the prin
cipal residents are merged in the rose.
The acknowledged chief among the COM
pany OF these rose growers is Mr.. Slaugh-
ter, whose authority on questions in re-
ference to the rose Is uuquestionod.
Each day au innumerabe number Of
Madison roses, packed in oblong boxes,
make the trip to town or the 7;2S tram.
From his ten great rosehouses, measur.
ing from 200 to 800 feet in length, MIR.
Slaughter gathers 10000 American
Beauties a month. In November, when
the unexpectedly warm weather forced
the planes into premature Towering, the
extraordinary yield was 500 day. With
this rose are cultivated other fine varieties
to represent splendid family conhn.
gent. Of the $4,000 rose plants nur-
tured under this florists $4,000 square
feet of glass, 5000 are American
Beauties shown in the central sections OF
the different houses where they find the
headroom required tor their compare
lively high growth.
Ia former years Mr.. Slaughter was
able to cut annually half million buds,
but with the American Beauty in larger
proportion in his houses the nu nber Is
diminished. The cutting is done the
day previous to the transportation to
market. The masses OF severed roses
are placed in jars of water set III heavily
constructed boxes in the packing cellar,
with sheets of translucent paper thrown
lightly over the flowers. To plunge the
head into one of these great rose bins
when the coverings are tossed of the
pots is to be intoxicated with perfume.
Next to the American Beauty in popu-
larty come the Catherine Mermet and
its sport, the Bride. The rosehouses
are far more interesting where the differ
ent representatives of the family are
seen together-the softly exquisite
NIphctos, the Perle des Jardins, the
Madame Cousin, the much admired
Bridesmaid "a sport of the Bride, as
some florists insist it should be, while
Others trace this with the Bride to the
Catherine MermeD, with lie France and
other varieties grouped according to their
needs in life.
The heating of these houses is by hot
water, and the ventilation is secured BIZ
an ingenious mechanism for lifting the
roof. The rose plants are now hedgcd
about in their benches by galvanized
wire, instead of wood, with a lighter
support in the inclosing structure for the
vigorously erected American Beauty than
for her kindred on either side. The
sight OF the mass of this plant growing
in perfection in bench extending
through the entire center Of house 300
feet long is alone worth journey OF
twenty-five miles.
The method of rose propagation Is
very interesting as conducted IN those
houses. For the first stage OF develop.
meut bench of hard, course sand re-
ceivcs the tender cuttings placed close
together. The heat is beneath, and the
benches are boarded in closely from the
upper edge downward in order that the
influence of the high temperature shall
reach the cuttings in the direction OF
desired growth instead of from the sur.
rounding air. Plent, of water Is used.
The planted areas become thickly lux
uriant dwarf forests, with spreading
growths two or three inches high above
the graveily sand. In due time each OIL
the thousands of these infant plants Is
placed separately in little pot Of earth.
From this training place it is removed
to larger pot and again to another OF
still greater size to await the final re-
moval to general bench.
The estate containing this rose system
consists of seventy acres of forest and
ornamental grounds, with the space de-
voted to the plant houses. Its proprie-
tor was not in early life horticulturist
New York Times.