Evening star., 1923-12-12
PLAN ROSE GARDEN
FOR POTOMAC PARK
CONTINUED from FRS, Page.l

continued from FirSt fage.l 49,
determine their availability for Amer
lean gardens.
There are now two rose show gar
dens in the United States. DIR. Null
ford said The first. established on
a two-acre plot in Hartford, Conn,
attracts over $4,000 visitors on pleas
ant Sundays. The second is In Port
land. Ore. a city especially adapted
to rose culture. and is somewhat
larger than the one in New England.
HenIock Planting Now.
Charles Henlock. gardener for the
Office of public buildings and grounds.
now is planting some of the roses
here and will be In active charge of
the work for the next few years.
Considerable difficulty is encountered.
DR. Mulford said in determining the
varieties which viii make the best
appearance in the show garden or
in private gardens about Washing
ton. Out OF 400 varieties tested at
Arlington only about forty prove to
have the necessary requirements.
The roses are required to live under
rigorous conditions DR.. Mulford,
working on the theory that those
gardens where they viii have tender
care. Because of this a number of
blooms which have proved very sue
cessful in local private gardens have
been discarded at the test garden.
DR.. Mulfords experiments have
shown. however. that It will be possi-
BILE to start the blossoms in April.
One yellow rose has been developed
at Arlington whose arching red
stems. about the middle of that
month, are covered with small yellow
flowers. From that time on a rota-
tion has been devised which keeps the
blooms steady until late in the sum-
mer in the climate of Washington.
Prevalence of Mildew.
The most serious handicap met by
ford said, was the prevalence of rose
bushes to mildew. This, he explained,
means only that the roses have
caught cold. Great care should be
ness come with the leaves wet arti-
ficially. The practice of Washington
people of using garden hose after
getting home from work is blamed
for much of the mildew--that and an
old superstition that 1t is unwise to
water the flowers when the sun is
shining. The bushes, Mulford said
suffer from the sudden change IN
temperature that comes with dark
ness.
On the other hand. it was explained,
the heavy clay soil about Washing
ton is the best possible for many
varieties of roses. This is particu
larly true of the RoEussa varieties.
native of northern China and 81
IBERIA, which, Mulford said, have the
good points of all the show roses
and bloom almost continuously
through the summer.
Other experiments are under way to
develop the Cherokee the wild rose
of the southern states, into a flower
suitable for plantation purposes, and.
Milford said, considerable progress
had been made. More than forty va
rieties Of baby ramblers have been
tested in the Arlington garden, with
success, ranging IN color from pure
white to bright crimson.
VIII he Great Attraction.
It Is probable, members of the So
ciety said last night, that the rose
show garden will be as great an at
traction along the Potomac are the
Japanese cherry trees now constitute,
but will have the added value OF
remaining in blossom all summer in
stead of a few weeks.
A move was launched by the Ameri-
can Horticultural Society last night
to merge with other organizations of
the same kind, both expert and ANA
teur, in an effort to form a powerful
national organization for the benefit
of amateur gardeners. About 20 per
cent of the membership now is con-
fined to the neighborhood of Wash
ington, although some members are
in South Africa and others In Europe
Plans were discussed for issuing
monthly bulletins on timely subjects
in horticulture.
Peter Bissett, noted horticuiturist
of the Department of Agriculture
here, was placed in nomination for
president, to succeed DR.. Woods of the
University of Maryland, the present
incumbent.