The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-12
BLUE ROSES AT LAST.
kol Likely to Equal IN Popularity The 0d-fashionsd
(Oos.

/ IL We may trust the story forwarded
by our Vienna correspondent says the
| London Standard, grower in the
charming valley of Kezanllk has at
tanned the summit OF Horticultural ambi
tion. He has produced a blue rose. IL,
In the middle ages some one had an
nounced his veritable discovery OF the
| philosophers stone, history would fur
nish Us with parallel TO the hutter
which the news Of this marvel is likely
To send through the botanical world.
Al last the feat whicn generations of
nurserymenhaye been patiently labor
ing at has been performed. II the rose
has been forced 10 adopt an azure tint.
hardly anything in fhe way of trans
fOTmat On need DE considered
unlttainable. IL is predicted that the
novel bloom win soon be abundant IN
the market. And then? Well. then.
we suppose we shall have ceased towon-
der-shall take cerulean petals as a
commonplace thing. and perhaps. II
we are wise and frank, confess that we
very much prefer the Oid-fashioned red,
or white. or yellow.
Cultivation. beyond all controversy.
has added immensely 20 the wealth OF
our gardens and greenhouses. Species
that are poor and limited in range have
been developed into an infinite va
riety OF exquisite or imposing forms.
No one however Obstinately he may be
neAO1ed- TO -EimnlcllY and primitive
ness, win venture To deny the debt he
owes, not only 10 the collector, but 20
the grower OF Orch9s. So we may go
through the ever-lengthening list Of
Deautilul plants, ana AT each stage re-
fleet how much sincere delight we
should miss II the experts had been less
Keen about crOss-feTtilization, change
of soil and water and all the other de-
vices by which the parent stock has
been converted INTO a multitude OF
Well-nigh unreCogn2able descendants.
But. while it would be affectadiOn TO
regret the spirit Of competition and the
strMning for mere variation VIII Oh
have resulted i'm such additions to our
floral wealth. IL must be Acknowledged
Also that some OF the products OF the
experimental florist have noshing 10 |
recommend them except the extreme |
difficulty OF bringing about the change |
Neither men nor nightingales will |
ever worship a blue rose. and. once IL /
becomes easy 10 multiply them. they |
VIII be treated with as small respect as |
a pink hyacinth. Still a period OF fash
ionable triumph may be pedicted FOR
the strange blossom, during Wnlch Spe-
ctmens will cause blocks i'm the moving
crowd in the flower shows. and be voted
curious" and even pretty" by anna
teurs. Love of change is one OF the
fundamental impulses of the average
human being, and IL has played more
than the customary part in Getermn-
Ing the mutations OF flower worship.
lust now there is an extraordinary |
'raZe for reducing arum lilies to the
dimensions of a crOcus. but. when the
limits OF dwarfing are reached, there 4
nay be a reaction in favor OF growing
he plant TO the size OF a palm tree AT
ach- stage of Iaetamnrphnsls- there Mill-
e admirers and. what is more TO the
urpose of the professionals, a fair
umber OF purchasers. Things run
through the whole gamut OF change. |
ut nature is avenged at last, and the |
ast wave of the hybridizer's wand will
estore the object OF his thaumaturgy |
o the simple original form. A future
may yet hail-in some far
lway offspring of the blue rose-the |
lear familiar feature of the indigenous
,rier.