The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-02-16
MRS. SHEPHERDS LECTURE
Skeletonized Leaves Are the Exact Picture Of
Living Tree


Living Tree
Mrs. Theodosia B. Shepherd of San
Buenaventura gave a most delightfully."-
interesting informal talk before the Fri
day Morning Club, at their last meeting,
on Hybridizing Mrs. Shepherd is a
bright and shining; example of what one
woman can do and has done in business !;
and moreover in business that has here
tofore been monopolized almost entirely
by men, Notwithstanding the fact that it
is one which the most hardened pessimist
must admit is peculiarly adapted to wo-
mans capabilities and quite within their
scope.
About her home in the heart of the
town of Ventura, on Main street, near
the Rose Hotel, she has two and half
acres of land, Which are principally given
up to green, lath and hot houses Across
one side of her garden there fourishes a
hedge of heliotrope nearly four hundred
feet-long, and up one side of the house a
uight blooming cereus chambers to the
height of forty feet. In one corner of the
garden is the office, where are seed and
packing rooms-for she makes seeds and
bulbs speciality, and in the ten years
she has been in business has establi shed
Florists from nearly every large city in
the East and Canada, as well as several
parts of Europe, send to this capable and
intelligently energetic woman large orders
for seeds of every kind, which Mrs.
Shepherd collects each in its season, with
which to carry on her bus ness, dealings.
She has besides her home garden about
fourteen acres in plots of different sizes
in various parts of the town, which she
leases and .devotes to the raising of all
varieties of flowers. She loves flowers, is
a great fancier, and enjoys developing
new varieties and trying experiments in
grating and hybridizing, which are
nearly always successful.
Her natural love for, her beautiful and
refining business, together with her act
ual and wide experience made her espec-
tally qualified to tell the members of and
visitors to the Friday Morning Club
many interesting and valuable facts; and
the talk was Interpreted with pertinent
questions from her audience and direct,
concise replies.
Mrs. Shepherd commenced by saying
that flower growing was the most delight
full employment that women could find,
and referred to the special pleasure in
plants created" by the grower. A men,
ton was made of the trade and commerce
in seeds, fruits, flowers and bulbs, its
magnitude; and the organization of ma
tional societies of growers of carnations,
roses and chrysanthemums which are
composed largely of men-enthusiasts in
floral culture.
A recent gathering of florists in New
Jersey at the residence of Mrs. Pierpont
Morgan, who has new rose, was referred
to: and the worldwide regulations made
by growers of new or choice varieties.
Hybridizing, Mrs. Shepherd says, brings
about these new varieties, and there are
over $500 acres in California devoted to
seed growing (for vegetables and howers),
and the creation of new varieties is an
important branch of the florists business;
the money value Of some new plants was
The making of hybrids was then
described, and brief history given CT
the White Bride rose, which is sport
from Katharine Mermet; sport being
a sprout or shoot from a hybrid bud
the plant in embryo--that is exactly like
its parent. The manner of transplanting
OF buds to different stock, by which they
may still retain qualities of the parent
plant was also described, with the process
of grating by two methods; and how the
delicate Marechal Mel rose is strength
ened by being grated. "A rose should be
budded in the spring or at any time when
the bark will peel.
The seed, the product of the mature
flower, may produce, other flowers that
vary, while those from buds seldom do.
The speaker then told now bulbs multi
ply, and that skeletonized leaves are the.
exact picture of stree; she spoke of the
selection OF seeds, for an improvement in
fruits choose the least number of seeds,
as it produces the best flower, etc. The
first cabbages had but few leaves, but re-
moval to colder climate brings more
leaves.
TO preserve types, the grower plants
number of seeds, and keeps only the best
plant, and separates it from the others;
and flowers nrust be kept in perfect health
or they deteriorate; select for planting
always the best seeds or bulbs.
Mr.. Burbank of Santa Rosa, CAL, a
florist celebrated for his hew creations,
was then referred to, and hiytpotatoes
plums, white blackberres; his expert
ments in by bridizing lilies and wonder
full results, and his stock of lilies valued
at 500, 600.
explained fully and with great clearness
The process means the uniting of the
good qualities of two flowers in one.
Scientific hybridization should be pre-
ceded by an idea. Nature, in hybridiz-
ing, is not intelligent, and her results de-
pend on chance.
Mrs. Gould, another Ventura woman,
was cited as having made wonderful
success with flowers her fondness for Pc
5nnias spoken of and the wonderful trans
formation made in that flower. The be-
yonia, Mrs. Shepherds favorite flower,
was then spoken of. 1t, too, has been |
greatly improved in recent years. Origin
lily it was a little, slender flower of
)rick-red color.
The thought was then suggested, in |
view of the wonderful results of flower |
culture, 'Why not apply similar methods,
enthusiasm and perseverance to human |
developments"
Educate our young people not to make |
! living, but to make themselves, and the |
living will come.
Some general laws are then given which |
nay be deduced from flower culture, as |
he effect of the varieties of soil, the effect |
If environment, the evil of neglect, in |
'ects, etc, the Importance of drainage. !
+ flower has stiff stems you can make |
hem flexible; if lacking in perfume, you
ian give it; if petals are meager they can
,e increased; the possibilities are unlim-
ted.
AS a last suggestion Mrs. Shepard said |
he thought that combination of hardy |
,ersevering weeds, with more delicate |
cultivated flowers would be interesting ,
md might produce valuable results.
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