TITE MORNING OREGONIAN, SATURDAY. JANUARY 1, 1921
tt A 7i r m s its rsirrir a rr An n s n tts Trrn r.o a nm nnn A r tk t i
OTiimnttimiitmiimitmimtiinniiniHiiinuiimim
titjitunfn(tiiiir(uir!iitittiiMTiiiJiiiNiiiiiiiinifitij:iiiniiiitittiritttiiiiftiiiinruiiiiiJitiit(TiiiiiiiruiiititiiiJTfittiiit)nHfniii?Tiit
Lavish Profusion of Blooms During Shrine Week and Rose Festival Bewilders Visitors Commercial Possibilities of Rose Culture Afford New and Promising Field for Growers
Br if? A. Currpy. Director Aiuerlcan
KoH society.
WHILE much progress has been
mads In rose culture in Port
land during the past year there
la ati'l room for expansion not only
city, but also among the profes
sionals wnere increased production
would bring fortune.
Portland, during Shrine week last
June, had one of its greatest oppor
tunities for extending its reputation
as the Rose City.
No one has ever before witnessed
such a lavish profusion of roses as
Portland displayed during Shrine
week and the Rose Festival. It was
Imply bewildering to the visitors
and those who were here are still
talking and will continue to talk
about Portland roses. No event of
the entire week made a more lasting
and agreeable Impression than did
the roses and If anyone had doubts
as to the advertising value of the rose
they have been removed.
While rose culture as a pastime has
advanced in Portland during the year
the commercial development has not
been marked, although the growers
have reaped a harvest, for there has
never been such a demand for rose
plants as exists today and with a
supply that la down to a minimum
The supply of plants produced by the
local growera has long been ex
hausted and Portland merchants are
cow seeking plants in other states.
Orecoa Stork, Superior.
On or two firms have started the
growing of wild stock, but it will be
two or three years before they are
factors In the market. The 500,000
wild stocks, which were shipped east
a year ago by Clarke Bros., estab
lished the fact that Oregon-grown
roses are far superior to those of
California and other sections, for the
reason that the Oregon growth Is
firmer and 1 ss pitky, and for budding
purposes most desirable. Had the
a year ago they could have this year
sold many million plants, for the
California growers have shipped east
this year at least 4.000.000 plants.
Hopes are now entertained that rose
development on a commercial basis
In Oregon will come. Through the
efforts of Superintendent of Parks
C. P. Keyser and a committee of the
chamber of commerce the Oregon
Agricultural college, after a number
of years of correspondence by private
Individuals urging the development of
this phase of agriculture In Oregon,
has now seen some of Its possibilities
and a professor has been selected to
co-operate with Mr. Keyser and those
of Portland Interested in commercial
rose growing.
The commercial possibilities of rose
culture In Oregon has scarcely been
touched when the field is studied. The
western part of the state Is particu
larly favored with climatic and soil
conditions and If the globe Is studied
It will be found that this section of
the country Is located in exactly the
same degree of latitude as the big
rose producing sections of Europe
and a further study of the range of
temperature and rainfall will show
that conditions In the old world rose
producing sections and the Willamette
valley are parallel.
While it has been demonstrated
that the present popular varieties
of stock are of exceptional merit
when grown in Oregon, it Is believed
that there is opportunity to improve
on the present varieties by the intro
duction of new crossing of the native
sweet brier, and those interested hope
that through the co-operation of the
Oregon Agricultural college eventu
ally a new stock for budding pur
poses will be developed.
In the meantime there should be
among the professional growers ex
tensive cultivation of the present-day
stocks to meet the demand. Prior to
the war the importation of stocks
from Europe ranged from 16,000,000
to 11,000,000 plants annually, but due
to the operation of the plant quaran
tine regulations the importations last
year amounted to only a little over
300.000 plants. As long as the plant
quarantine law remains, and it looks
as If it would be a fixture, there will
have to be Increased commercial pro
duction, and Oregon with its superior
quality could dominate the market.
I am of the opinion that the proper
way for Increased production Is
through Improved marketing meth
ods. The problem should be tackled
through oiganixed growing and along
lines similar to that followed by bulb
culture in Holland. Instead of a few
growers cultivating a wide range of
varieties the community should so be
organized that only one or two va
rieties should be grown by each in
dividual, and then when ready for
marketing the plants collected at a
suitable center and properly graded.
Such a plan properly organized would
open a large field for many thousand
persons, for If a farmer did not desire
to engage in extensive rose culture
some member of his household could
do so and with profit. It is an easy
matter to raise 5000 rose cuttings on
an average city lot and with the pres
ent wholesale price of from 30 to 50
cents for each plant this means a
very handsome return from the work.
Not only are there opportunities
for 'the development of commercial
rose growing in Oregon, but there Is
an even larger field for development
open In the other products of rose
culture. Importations of attar of
roses or rose oil have almost ceased,
and the substitutes being used are
far from satisfactory. There are also
opportunities for development in the
production of rose water and per-
Hit
TYcffz Forforr? f&icfa ffeceivs JifiStri- C upj- poruoj or jSZrjzf Wz'nrzzrF? fib??
fumes, which now largely come from
France.
Through the efforts of the Portland
Ad club a great stimulus has been
given to rose growing during the past
year. That organization has perfected
plans by which, through the co
operation of the bureau of parks
and City Commissioner Pier, the Sandy
boulevard, the great avenue which Is
the gateway to the Columbia river
highway, will be lined on either side
for a distance of nearly four miles
with hedges of Portland's fragrant
roses. and the street named "Roseway."
The Portland Rose society, through
its energetic president, H. J. Blaes
ing, has been an active factor in rose
culture during the year. Early In the
season the organization was enlarged,
and through its affiliation with the
American Rose society all the mem
bers were brought into close contact
with general rose development.
The Rose show In June during
Shrine week, which was staged by
the Portland Rose society, was a won
derful exhibition, not only from the
point of quality of blooms, but for
the number. The show was held In
one of the park blocks and It was
the first time that such an exhibition
of flowers was held In the open air.
It demonstrated that a rose show can
be held in the open air if the proper
kind of booths are constructed and-i
the blooms given the required pro
tection from sunfand winds. Some of
the booths maintained their exhibits
in all their beauty and without re
newals for the three days of the show
The city, through Its bureau of
parks, maintains its leadership In en
couraging rose culture. The large rose
garden In Peninsula park was the
PORTLAND'S CLIMATE APPROACHES IDEAL
jirfirtminiiimniiMimrmiiminimiiiiMtHrniiimrminnm
In Relation to Health and Efficiency, Portland Weather Excels Rainfall Is Same as New York City
By Edward I.. Wells. Meteorologist, 1. 8.
Weather Bureau.
IN SPITK of the fact that a weather
record has been kept at Portland
for a period of almost SO years,
some new marks are set nearly every
year and 1320 has been no exception
to the rule.
Feoruary was the dryest month of
the name on record, having only 0.16
Inch precipitation. This is less than
3 per cent of the normal amount for
the month, and less than 16 per cent
of the 'east amount previously re
corded in February.
In August the temperature rose on
one day to 03 degrees, which is the
highest temperature ever experienced
in Portland in that month.
However, for the most part, the
weather was such as may ordinarily
be expected her moist in winter,
moderately -dry in, summer, with little
wind, few extremes of temperature
and absence of severe storms.
In studying the climate of a place
from the standpoint of human com
fort, health and efficiency, or from
the standpoint of agricultural, indus
trial, or commercial development, the
most Important factors to be consid
ered are temperature, precipitation,
humidity, sunshine and wind. In most
of these Portland climate is found to
excel.
Change Affords Stimulus.
There is sufficient change in tem
perature from day to day and from
month to month to afford the stimu
lus necessary to the best mental and
physical activity, but the changes are
not so abrupt nor so great as to
cause overstimulation with Its neces
sary reaction. The problem of keep
ing warm in winter and cool in sum
mer is simplified by our mild tem
perature and high relative humidity
In winter, and our cool, dry. north
west breezes of summer.
While the average temperature for
the year at Portland, SO degrees, is
about the same as that at Indianapolis,
the July temperature Is 66 degrees,
which is the same as that found in
southern Manitoba, and the January
temperature 1b 39 degrees, which com
pares closely with that experienced In
southern New Mexico. In an average
summer there are five days with max
imum temperature of SO degrees or
higher, and in an average winter
there are 31 days with minimum tem
perature of 33 degrees or lower.
The average annual precipitation
at Portland is 45.13 inches, which is
about the same as that experienced
at New York City, and much less than
the amount measured in some of the
southern states. The average num
ber of days with 0.01 inch or more
precipitation ranges from four in
July to 20 in January. There are
about five days each winter with
snow remaining on the ground long
enough to be measured.
While there is considerable cloudi
ness in winter, every month has a
number of pleasant days. In sum
mer there are few places outside the
arid and semi-arid states that have
as much sunshine as Portland. We
have more during the three summer
months than San Diego and in July
we have more than Santa Fe. The
average for the' year is 2053 hours,
or 5 hours and 37 minutes per day.
There is sufficient wind to carry
away the city smoke and dust, but
very seldom enough to be disagree
able. The average velocity for the
entire period of record is six miles
an hour.
Experts who have studied the cli
mates of the world with reference to
their relation to human efficiency
pronounce the Portland climate al
most ideal.
Full information relative to the
weather during the year or to the
climate of Portland and other places
may be obtained from the weather
bureau office, 221 custom-house, Portland.
scene of a most brilliant rose fete
during June when the Royal Rosarians
staged the ceremony of naming two
roses and Commissioner Pier awarded
the world's prizes won by growers In
the competition in the International
Rose test garden for producing new
roses of merit. The rose garden at
Peninsula park now contains upward
of 15,000 plants and a'jout 1100 dif
ferent varieties and is ranked as the
prettiest rose picture of any garden
in this country.
The development of the now fam
ous International rose test garden In
Washington park is proceeding. The
testing ground now contains about
100 varieties of the newer roses and
they come from all parts of the world.
The fame that Portland is giving sci
entific tests to new roses to deter
mine their value for outdoor culture
has spread around the' globe, and
plants are now at the garden en route
from all quarters, including produc
tion from Australia, New Zealand and
Japan. It is expected that during the
coming year several new units to
the garden will be added to take
care of the various collections which
aro being gathered.
Rose Mall Feature.
The plans for the gardens as they
will ultimately be developed have
been completed by Sutton and Whit
ney, architects. While the garden Is
primarily Intended as a location for
a collection of the world's best roses
of all ages and for the testing of new
roses, it will oe a piace noi oniy oi
educational value to the rose lover,
but also a beauty spot. One feature
of the completed garden will be a
series of sunken terraces extending
for about 800 feet, and this will be
dedicated to the Royal Rosarians as
fhelr snecial garden, where each mem
ber of that organization will find the j tion in the east,
rose for which he stands as sponsor.
Leading into this garden is a ross
mall 50 feet wide, flanked on either
side by the roses which show the
greatest vigor and beauty In Port
land. Leading off from it will bs
various special gardens, such as those
for the collection of Oregon roses, ths
historical and botanical collection,
the garden for the best American
roses, the garden for best European
roses, the miniature garden and the
garden of rosea which win gold
medals. Occupying a center place,
close to the test sections and ths
propogatlng divisions, will be a mu
seum, and in connection with this
will be greenhouses and the neces
sary space for the growing of new
varieties.
To the north of the wide rose mall
and in a natural amphitheater will bs
the outdoor rose theater, whers can
be held the various rose ceremonies,
On the sides of this natural theater
there will be accommodations for
seating about 5000 persons, and about
as many more can view the events on
the lawns from other points of van
tags. The floor of the amphitheater
will be about 500 feet long and ITS
feet wide, thus affording a large
space for the various events, and back
of this will be the stage. From all
seats in the theater there is an un
obstructed view across the park and
city to the snow-capped mountains of
the Cascades, and It Is doubtful if any
city will be able to boast of an open
air theater of equal charm ana
beauty.
IVevr Varieties Produces.
During the year several new varN
etles of roses have been produced In
Portland, but the rose which attract
ed national attention was "Imperial
Potentae," produced by Albert Clark
of Clarke Brothers, and which waa
named during the Shrine week. It 1
remarkably pretty, and of a d&cp rov
pink, the bud being long and pointed.
It is under test in the international
test garden and shows very satis
factory progress, but it will not b
officially scored until next year.
The rose "Mrs. John C. Alnswo-rth,
produced last year by Mr. Clarke for
hot-house culture has been very well
received by the trade and its fam
has widely spread, plants having
been exported to Japan and Australia.
"Mrs. Walter T. Sumner" and "Fell,
city," two more new roses by Mr.
Clarke, ranked well in the competi
tion, and no doubt will be found in
many gardens next year.
The production last year of "May
Martin" by Messrs Martin and Forbes,
as a yellow rose, was a distinct addi
tion to the rose family and It seemd
to do equally as well outdoor as under
glass. The advantages of this Port
land-produced rose have become
known far and wide, and Mr. Martin
has already exported a number of
plants to South Africa in addition to
finding many admirers for his crea-
1