In September of 1938, the Annual Meeting of the American
Rose Society was held at THE HOTEL HERSHEY. The program
for the Annual Meeting included formal dedication of The
Harrisburg Municipal Rose Garden, and the "mammoth" Hershey
Rose Garden on September 15, 1938.
At the final luncheon of the Annual Meeting, Mary N. Dixon,
master of landscape architecture, and editor of "Success
with Roses - The Magazine for Rose Lovers Everywhere," read
a poem suggesting that a rose be named M.S. Hershey. Of
the sixteen-stanza poem, the following stanzas relate to
Mr. Hershey:
When'er a Rose receives a name
It's like a complicated game
To please the public, see what goes,
What name will suit this newest Rose?
So experts wrack their mighty brains
Indulge in mental growing pains
And cast their eyes and ears about
To name her for her "coming out."
To illustrate just what we mean:
Here's one for which we'd all be keen
'T'would lend a Rose enduring fame
How's M.S. Hershey for a name!
And in our gardens, you can bet,
We'd surely keep his feet well wet
For Mr. Hershey is a king
And rates the best of everything.
L.B. Coddington, a prominent rose developer, was at the
luncheon and proposed a red rose that he was developing
be named 'M.S. Hershey.' The Conard-Pyle Company signed
on to produce the 'M.S. Hershey' Rose. 'M.S. Hershey'
was
introduced in 1941 and adorned the cover of the Conard-Pyle
Company's "Star Guide to Good Roses." Harry
Erdman, Mr. Hershey's horticulturist, designer and caretaker
of
the Hershey Rose Garden, described the 'M.S. Hershey' rose
as follows:
Color: scarlet-crimson
Fragrance: mild rose, not very pronounced
Bloom: continuous June to frost on long, sturdy stems; fading
to light crimson
Vigor: above average
Foliage: fine texture, medium green;
no black spot, mildew, or rust
The 1941 American Rose
Annual described 'M.S. Hershey'
as follows:
Hybrid tea rose
Developed by L.B. Coddington, 1940
Introduced by Conard-Pyle Company, 1941
Plant Patent No. 427
Background: seedling x 'E.G. Hill'
Bud: long-pointed
Flower: double, high-centered, very lasting, slightly fragrant,
crimson-scarlet
Foliage: soft
Growth: bushy
Free bloomer
The 'M.S. Hershey' Rose
is no longer in commercial production. Hershey Gardens has
a small bed of 'M.S. Hershey.' And the Conard-Pyle
Company still has stock of 'M.S. Hershey.'
J. Benjamin Williams, developer of 'THE HOTEL HERSHEY'
Rose resided in Silver Springs, Maryland and frequently
visited Hershey Gardens to hybridize roses. Mr. Williams
independently developed new roses that he would
market to nurseries.
In
turn, the nurseries would produce and sell the
new roses and pay royalties to Mr. Williams.
Mr. Williams introduced an attractive new rose
to William Bowman, then Director of Hershey Gardens,
and suggested
that it be named 'THE HOTEL HERSHEY.'
Mr. Bowman shared this
suggestion with Edward Book, President and Chair
of Hershey Entertainment & Resort Company,
who agreed
that 'THE HOTEL HERSHEY' would be a great
name for a new rose.
Bountiful Ridge Nurseries in Princess Anne, Maryland
agreed to produce 'THE HOTEL HERSHEY'
Rose. Hershey Gardens marketed
'THE HOTEL HERSHEY' Rose to the public
for a period of time.
The 1976 American Rose Annual described 'THE HOTEL HERSHEY'
Rose as follows:
Grandiflora rose
Developed by J. Benjamin Williams
Background: 'Queen Elizabeth' x 'Comanche'
Bud: long-pointed to run-shaped
Flower: high-centered, light orange-red opening
to cupped and ruffled,
double (34 petals); 1-3 blooms / stem; light
fragrance; excellent bloomer
Foliage: medium, dark green, leathery; good
resistance to black spot & mildew
Growth: upright, slightly vase-shape
The 1977 American Rose
Annual included the following:
Plant patent 4138 Hotel Hershey Grandiflora issued
to J. Benjamin Williams, Silver Springs, MD October 21, 1976.
'THE HOTEL HERSHEY' Rose is no longer in
commercial production. However, Hortico, Inc., Ontario,
Canada markets roses that
have been developed by J. Benjamin
Williams. Mr. Williams still resides in Maryland
and has stock
of 'THE HOTEL HERSHEY' Rose
available. Hershey Gardens has two nice plantings of 'THE
HOTEL HERSHEY'
Rose.
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