Evening star., 1939-08-06
William F. GUIDE Recounts
so Years of FIower-Growinq
Red Radiance Rose
Developer Started
Work at Age Of 10
BY JOHN J. DAILY.

floral beauty, sat on the front
porch of his country estate, Winter
burn Farm-on the Baltimore Pike
near Laurel-today, and looked back
over half a century in the flower
business.
A pioneer in modern methods OF
raising flowers. Mr.. Guide, in his
minds eye, can span go years in the
greenhouses. He got his start as 8
florist over in Anacostia back in
1878 when he was a 10-year-old
boy. A decade later he and his
brother, the late Adolph GUIDE
started in business together-and
that really was the beginning of the
commercial florist trade in America
Washington its birthplace.
AS Mr.. Guide tells it flowers date
back to the Garden of Eden. even
before the time of Adam and Eve
the modern flower business is scarce
ly more than so years old in this
country. 1t was only in the late
Cos that a few people who grew
vegetables started to raise flowers
Then, only green verbena, few
geraniums, and similar flowers that
would grow outside in hot beds or
cold frames. Further, the Gay Nine
ties really started the modern meth
cd of growing flowers. In that era
was developed the American beauty
the rose that wore the crown for
many years-and still does; but it
is rare now"
Led Parade for Years.
The American Beauty led the
flower parade for years. Its popu-
larity was somewhat impaired by
the Red Rediance since this rose
could be grown cheaper. 1t is, as
Granville Guide, son of the old mas
ter, explains. "a sturdy garden rose.
The American beauty is more deli
cate. At times the American beauty
rose sold as high as SIS a-piece-or
$50 a dozen"
Discovery of the red radiance rose
was an accident, in a way. It is an
outgrowth of the Pink Radiance
"sported' off the mother stem, as
the term has it.
One day Mr.. Guide was in his Old
store on F street, between Ninth and
Tenth-then known as the firm of
A. GUIDE & Bro.-when a truckload
OF pink radiance roses arrived from
the Anacostia greenhouses. In the
midst OF this burst of glory the true
eye of the gardener detected a
splotch of red-a radiant red that
looked like sundown reflected in a
pearl shell. One of the boys assort-
ing the roses took these off-color
ones and threw them aside. Mr.
Guide rescued the abandoned flow
ers. He went to the hothouse i'm
mediately and ordered a search for
the plant that gave forth this new
touch of splendor Then he had
cuttings made, and by careful nour-
ishment and growth he developed
the red radiance rose-the popular
substitute for the more expensive
American beauty.
HOnOred by Society.
AS a reward for this contribution
to the rose family, the discoverer of
the red radiance was honored with
the presidency of the Society of
American Florists and Order of
Horticulturists, of which he is the
oldest member. He joined back in
1888, and because his fellow men,
bers-all eXperts-saw the good
qualities of the red radiance rose
they helped make it what it is to-
day, a national flower.
In his list year-he was born in
Lynchburg, Va, January 4, 1868
Bill Guide, as his friends call him
was virtually raised in a greenhouse
When he was years of age his par
ents moved to Prince George
County, Md, and settled on farm
There the flower business as it is
known today actually came into be-
ing. Soon as young Bill was able to
handle hoe they put him to work
Il suppose" he says, Il was not
more than 7 years old when !
started doing chores on the farm
My parents were very poor-and !
believe it is a blessing to be born
poor, rather than rich
Had he been born rich the flower
business might never have known
William Guide Because he had to
work his way through school he got
job when he was 10 years of age
in small greenhouse in Anacostia
Not until two years later did he get
his first pay-S8 month. But he
was learning the business that was
afterward to receive the benefit OF
his vision. At 16 he attended the
Spencerian Business College in this
city. three nights a week. after
working all day in the greenhouses
On the nights he had no classes he
helped put out flowers and plants
for his employers.
He got his diploma from the bus
mess college, but he continued
working in the greenhouses until
he was 81. Then he started out on
llio oWil SoACci, Will LIS UlUIIlel
Adolph as partner. In a little while
they operated three greenhouses in
Anacostia-a business that was
started on $50, as Mr.. Guide recalls
and this borrowed money. The two
brothers did all the work in the
greenhouses and took the flowers
to market themselves-behind an
old horse, in the buggy days. They
saw that first effort grow from little
patches of window pane over flow
ers to inclosed areas that contain
more than half a million square
feet of glass.
Imported Varieties.
From plants and flowers they
grew themselves the Guides even