How did you get ahold of this?! What a priceless piece of history. Like being transported back in time. Thank you so much for sharing this.

You're welcome Harmony. I've collected this type of rose related stuff since the early 80s. It got to be a bit overwhelming, so I thinned it in the early 90s, giving most of the catalogs to Bob Edberg of Limberlost Rose Books. A lot of it went away in a fire in 1996, but some survived. Friends have passed such things along to me over the years and I've begged for copies from others. I rediscovered a few things sifting through boxes of rose related stuff putting the books back into bookcases where I can get to them after a move two years ago. Fine tuning them to sort out duplicates I'll pass along to Jeri this afternoon at a rose gathering uncovered this and a couple of others. Finally learning how to massage the scanner has helped, too. I love that it is possible to adjust the size of the image shared through Flickr to here so they are shown larger, about legible size, making it easier for anyone who wishes to read them.

There is so much to learn from these things! We've had an extremely rich rose history here, but who would know? This catalog is particularly enjoyable to me as it ties in with the period covered by Mabel Osgood Wright's "Barbara" series, 1900 through 1910. Look for The Garden of the Commuter's Wife; The Garden, You and I; The Sign of the Fox; The People of the Whirlpool. I'm glad you've enjoyed them! Thanks! Kim

Thank you, Kim, you helped to identify my neighbor's 100% thornless pink rose: it's Irene Watts, or Pink Gruss. It has tons of blooms, even now, our nights dip down to low 20's. She planted her against the garage's, the same spot that I planted my rhododrendrons (got yellowish from the limestone foundation). Irene Watts is loaded in my alkaline clay, no wonder it's Hoovb's favorite.

I love history--this is so cool! And how interesting to see how many of the same rose varieties offered then are still treasured & available--Mme. Cochet, Clotilde Soupert, Frances Dubreuil, Perle des Jardins, Papa G., Etoile de Leon, Irene Watts, Enchantress, Bon Silene, American Beauty--all still pretty readily available--though not at "all 17 for $2.50" postpaid.
Gorgeous illustrations, too. Thanks for putting this catalog up :)

Did you happen to read the "Notice"?

Notice - We have seventy greenhouses, principally devoted to the culture of Roses. We invite correspondence from those desiring Roses not offered in this book. We carry over seven hundred varieties in stock, all of which are offered in OUR NEW GUIDE TO ROSE CULTURE, the most complete Rose catalogue in America. Copy free upon application.

1900, 70 greenhouses principally devoted to ROSES?! Over 700 varieties of roses in 1900?! Archiving the catalogs I've had access to from Roses of Yesterday and Today, in nearly 45 years, they offered some 718 varieties. Dingee and Conard offered OVER 700 in 1900 alone! That amazes me! Kim

Thanks Kim. I love these old catalogs. You're right. There is a lot to be learned.