Elbert Silleck Carman (November 30, 1836 Hempstead, N.Y. - February 28, 1900), owner and editor of "The Rural New-Yorker"
Agnes Emily M. Brown (November 19, 1852 Brooklyn, Kings, NY - February 11, 1941), who in 1873 married E.S. Carman
See References of the rose 'Agnes Emily Carman' for the history of their breeding.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 5 January 1889, p. 7:] We have 65 hybrids between Rosa rugosa (mother) and many other roses. Don’t you suppose that one or more of these will prove to be worthy of introduction?
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 2 March 1889, p. 146:] We have now some 70 hybrids with the Ramanas rose, Rosa rugosa—the first hybrids of this kind known in so far as any printed record shows. The hybrid Rugosa, Madame G. Bruant, was not announced until nearly two years after the first announcement of the R. N.-Y’s hybrids, though among the novelties in the new catalogues it is called “the first of a new race of hybrids originated by crossing the single Rugosa with the tea-rose Sombreuil.” It is true we have never used this tea-rose in crossing, and therefore Bruant is really the first of that particular male parentage. But it is not the first hybrid Rugosa. Besides the Rural’s 70 Rugosa hybrids, we have 150 or more seeds, the result of further crosses with Rugosa, made the past summer. What will be the outcome of this work remains, to be seen. Next summer it is hoped, will throw some little light on the question.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 24 August 1889, p. 561:] The next year pollen was used from Hybrid Remontants upon R. rugosa that happened to furnish it when needed. The male parentage of this second year’s batch (or what is left of them) is therefore unknown. Four or five have bloomed,showing them to be rather more interesting as curiosities than valuable for any other purpose. The third season’s batch originated in the same way as the second. There are about 40 of them. They have not as yet bloomed. The foliage of these as of all others, varies indefinitely—not one having that of R. rugosa and yet as they grow older, all showing some trilling resemblance—generally in the texture and venation of the leaf. The present year we have used chiefly the pollen of Teas and Hybrid Teas upon R. rugosa. The result thus far is that we have not less than 250 plump heps each one of which will give an average of 50 seeds.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 28 December 1889, p. 853:] This season we have about 50 hybrids between Rosa rugosa (white and pink) as the mother plant or seed-bearer and many kinds of Hybrid Remontants and a few Teas as pollen parents.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 19 April 1890, p. 254:] During last summer, as R. N.-Y. readers have been told, rose-hybridizing work gave us over 2,000 seeds, hybrids of Rosa rugosa (white and pink) and various Hybrid Teas and Remontants. Three-quarters of these were very carefully planted in flats which were left out in the garden during the winter covered over by boards to protect them from animals as well as hard rains. In late February they were taken to the conservatory. Not over five per cent, have germinated. The portion (one-quarter) of the seeds not planted was then examined. It was found that 19 of every 20 were mere shells without any embryo. In previous years we assumed that the failure to grow of a large per cent, (though never so great as this year) was due to imperfect treatment or unfavorable conditions of one kind or another.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 24 May 1890, p. 340:] We may now say definitely that from 2,500 seeds (hybrids of Rosa rugosa and many different varieties of Teas and Hybrid Remontants) planted last fall, we have 225 plants. Of these a considerable proportion may be expected to perish from mildew and the accidents inseparable from out-door existence.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 18 June 1892, p. 400:] ..at this date—June 7—not less than 50 of The R. N.Y.’s Rosa rugosa hybrids in bloom. Rugosa is the mother of every one and yet no two are alike in flower, leaf or habit.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 15 October 1892, p. 671:] At length 15 of The Rural’s Rugosa hybrid roses have been placed in the hands of one of our largest florist firms for immediate propagation, and for presents to our subscribers as soon as the stock may permit.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 29 October 1892, p. 709:] Seventeen New Roses. Not simply a new rose to be given away to the American public, but Seventeen (17) new roses. These are the selected best roses from the hundreds of Rosa rugosa hybrids originated at the Rural Grounds during the past six years. Every one of the 17 has distinct and valuable characteristics. All are hardy, out-door roses.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 27 November 1892, p. 5:] It is with no little satisfaction that we may now state that 17 of The Rural’s Hybrid Rugosa Roses have been placed in the hands of one of our most prominent florists for propagation and introduction. They are certainly unlike any other roses and will, if planted in a plot by themselves, form a most interesting group, and one that will be prized by all except florists who prefer flowers that may be plucked singly with long stems for bouquets.
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 28 January 1893, p. 57:] All subscribers for 1893 receive their choice of any or all of 17 new roses, Mr. Carman's
Rosa rugosa hybrids....
[From
The Rural New-Yorker, 22 April 1893, p. 287:] When the 17 Rosa rugosa hybrid seedlings were placed in the hands of one of the largest firms in America for propagation. The R. N -Y. was assured that by May a large enough stock would have accumulated to enable us to supply the plants promised to all applicants. The nursery firm assumed that these 17 seedlings (or most of them at any rate) could in experienced hands be propagated the same as most other roses, viz., by cuttings. After trying all known methods, it was found that the cuttings would not "strike". or form roots, and that budding must be resorted to. The work of budding on Manetti stock was at once begun, but meanwhile much time has been lost. The unprecedented increase in The R. N.-Y.'s circulation and a corresponding increase in the number of applications anticipated, render it impossible to fill at this time more than a small proportion of the orders received...
[From "American Biography", 1918, Vol. IV. p. 331-333:] Elbert Silleck Carman...born in Hempstead, Long Island, November 30, 1836...died February 28, 1900.
[From the "In Bergen's Attic - Newsletter of the Bergen County Historical Society", Spring 2013, p. 2] Elbert S. Carman ....in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, as owner and editor of
The Rural New-Yorker, one of the leading agricultural publications of its day, he “won a national reputation as a journalist and an experimental horticulturist.”....."he gave much
of his time to testing new plants, vines, and seeds, and also to originating new varieties of vegetables, fruits and grains.”....In 1873, Elbert S. Carman married Agnes Emily M. Brown (1852-1941), daughter of Professor Delwin Fruenza Brown, artist and penman at Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, N. Y., who was also noted for his research on strawberry cultivation. ....A dedicated plant breeder, he worked on hybridizing wheat and rye (1883), raspberries and blackberries (1886), and in crossing Rosa rugosa with the Harrison’s Yellow rose, producing in 1892 the dark crimson rugosa hybrid named for Agnes Emily Carman.
