To champion the rose…..Philadelphia Press

The "American Rose Society" for the development and cultivation of the beautiful 'Queen of Flowers' was organized in New York last winter to increase the general interest in the cultivation and to improve the standard of excellence of the rose; to foster, stimulate and increase the production in every possible way of improved varieties of roses suitable to our American climate and requirements; to organize a system of exhibitions at such times and places as this society may from time to time decide on, to offer prizes of money, gold, silver and bronze medals and certificates of merit for meritorious new varieties of roses under such conditions, rules and regulations as the society may adopt.

The secretary, Mr. Paul M. Pierson, in outlining the purpose and plans of the society, said: "For many years there has been a feeling that a society, having the interest of the rose at heart, was needed, whose only object should be disinterested encouragement of effort to stimulate popular interest in the ‘queen of flowers.’ When finally the project took practical form, a meeting was held in New York and an organization was effected, by-laws adopted, officers elected and a general line of policy was laid down for the guidance of the society. The scope and national nature is shown in the list of officers, who come from all parts of the country. Although acquainted with the popularity of the rose, we were utterly surprised at the response to our request for members. Evidently the interest had been extended and it had only remained for some to take the initiative. Great numbers of applications poured in from all over the United States and Canada, and some even from England. It cannot be too strongly stated that the society is not formed in the interests of any class, clique or section, but it is intended solely to disinterestedly increase popular interest in the ‘Queen of Flowers.’"

"We hope not only to become a national, but even broader than that, a continental society, including in its membership not only those residing in the United States, but our Canadian friends as well, and if in Mexico, Central or South America, or on our neighboring islands, there are those who love the rose and are interested in its culture, we are on a broad enough foundation to welcome them to our society. In a word, it will be the steadfast aim of those intrusted with the welfare of the organization to build on liberal lines. To this end the officers are now in correspondence with those interested in the English Rose Society, and we have the assurance of the Very Rev. Dean Hole, its distinguished president, of the heartfelt sympathy of the Rosarians among ‘our kin across the sea,’ and, better still, we have the promise that they will give the benefit of their experience, and as their society has had a phenomenal success, it is but fair to assume that we shall receive much aid from their co-operation. It is not intended to simply confine ourselves to the æsthetic enjoyment of flowers. We have a practical bend and a regard for the commercial side. We propose to disseminate to our members the latest information pertaining to the rose, recommending new varieties of undoubted merit, best methods of culture, how to fight insects and fungoid pests, the proper use of manures, and other information from the pens of leading experts."