Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-06-01
WORLDS GREATEST
ROSE GARDEN
Fifty Thousand Rose Trees, Covering
Four Acres, Make Up Famous
Worlds Fair Beauty Spot.

mililOn roses VIII bloom at once
in the vas; rose garden at the World 8
fair. That is guessing. of course. but
the formulation of the guess is this:
-Four acres are set to strong. vigorous
rose trees. Thirty of the largest ex.
hibitors have sent their choicest stock
and each will strive for first place in
the Judgment of the jury and people.
Thls vast rose garden with its 5O.-
200 rose trees lies east of the great
Palace of Agriculture. The warm
eastern slope has been made more
fertile than your garden or mine will,
rich compost and 1t will be sight
worth travelling far to see when the
glorious colors make bright the beds
ana fragrance spreads far beyond the
boundaries that have now been set
rms rose garden. the planting of
which was begun early in April, occu-
pies one of the conspicuous sights in
he City of Knowledge. The center of
me garden is at the main entrance to
he Palace of Agriculture, grand
structure of 1.600 feet long and 500
ieet deep. 1t Is on a high elevation
overlooking the group of main build
.ngs OF the exposition. and, looking to
The northeast splendid view of one
Of st Louis most attractive residence
districts is spread out before the eve.
When the graders finished their
work and turned the site over to the
gardeners, every vestigs of soil had
been removed, and a broad expanse of
sticky, yellow clay remained Surely
20 layman most unfavorable loca-
ion for a flower garden But to a
practical rose grower 1t was an ideal
spot. The ground was plated with a
series of eight collections. forming a
great oval $50 feet long and 100 feet
wide, as the central picture In the
center of this oval is erected a statue
OF the goddess of flowers, in heroic
size. FlanNng this oval on the north
and south. are two great collections,
triangular in form. Scores of other
collections laid out in plots of ground
shapes, but all conforming to the
general harmony of the main picture,
have been provided
Each collection. while separate and
distinct in itself. forms a part of
great and artistic whole, and belt of
beautiful green lawn, from four to
eight feet wide. surrounds each collec-
tion. Spacious gravel walks are pro-
vided throughout the entire four acres
Of roses. and at various intersections
beautiful fountains, sending up
streams of crystal water and cooling
the atmosphere, are to be met. Seats
to accommodate thousands of visitors
hn hoo "a 81.
so distributed as not to interfere with
the free passage through the gardens
of the countless thousands who will
revel in the glorious sight
The work of planting the $4,000
roses already growing in this NAM
moth garden. the largest of its kind
ever conceived. occupies the time of
scores OF expert gardeners and hosts
of laborers. For each collection ex-
cavations is inches deep. of the form
and size required for the collection,
were dug in the stick clay soil.
Then the the excavations were filed
in with rich top soil and sandy loan.
A dressing of fertilizer. of the kind
best adapted to the requirements of
the particular rose tree collection. is
spread and then came the work Of
putting the young plants in their mlR
nificently conceived new home. With
the young plant firmly placed in its
perfectly prepared bed. came April
showers. The water percolated
| through the rich soil and was absorb
ed in the sandy loan. The strong
and healthy young bushes sent their
t,.t
earth and found secure Judgement in
the clay that forms the foundation.
Then no matter how hard the wind
blew. they were not disturbed.
While the roots were developing
unseen under the ground, there was
evidence of their power in the vigor-
Gus growth above ground. The young
shoots, anxious for their freedom af-
| ter the winters captivity in the
cramped cold frames and the pack
ages in which they we're shipped. grew
by leaps and bounds. Springing up
from the ground, the pink shoots
| were at first almost transparent, SO
delicate were they. Then they be-
came Drowned by the sun and expos
ure and soon the little buds appeared
and under the ministrations OF the
watchful gardeners, and the influence
of the warm April sun, the young
plants were allowed to bloom. but not
sufficiently to tax too greatly the en-
ergy of the plant. Expansion was
what the gardner mostly wanted. and
the wood growth of the rose tree is
demanded this year more than the
blossom.
Most OF the $4,000 roses now plant
ed are of the hardy or semi.hardy
varieties, but many of the varieties
that are not supposed to stand the
yigors Of st. Louis winter are
among the specimens shown in the
mammoth Worlds Fair garden. All
during the summer months. and until
the snow flies next fall. the rose
trees will continue increasing in size,
strength and beauty. Then will the
gardeners take precautions to prevent
the frost from interfering with the
beautiful picture provided for visitors
to the City OF knowledge. The en-
I l.. 1T