me 7 ee re ee =e ee a? =o ae ie oa ee sa: lita ge Sul Ale a aiooa 
ee oe ee ee oe eae ae ee “7 ‘ew a Sis ag < 
48 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
them, with your permission, thinking that possibly they may 
be of more service in that compact form than in any other 
that I could put them in. I will not occupy much time. 
I have only given a fewbrief hints, and will leave you to 
consider the subject, and whether they are worth your 
thought or not. 
What ought a market gardener to know? 
A number of years ago, a friend of mine purchased a 
farm. He was a gentleman of deservedly national reputa- 
tion, and not entirely unknown among the savants and states- 
men of Europe. Still, when he purchased the farm, he 
knew literally almost nothing about the cultivation of the 
soil, or of the general management of a farm. I hada 
number of friendly discussions with him at different times 
about the management and improvement of his new pur- 
chase, in one of which he made this remark: *« I have been 
planting for some time on my farm, principally money, and 
have come to the conclusion that to be a good farmer, a 
man needs a better education, and a broader and more 
general one, than for any other business that I know any 
thing about.’’ He was at the time a United States Senator. | 
I replied to him, ‘+ Well, Senator, you have learned the 
first big lesson towards successful farming. Hundreds and 
thousands of so-called farmers pass their entire lives upon 
their farms, without learning the lesson that you have so 
quickly comprehended. I have great hopes that you will 
yet make a first-class farmer.’’ The lesson taught by this 
grand and noble man upon this occasion, is fully as appli- 
cable to the market gardener, as to the general farmer. But 
you ask me what he should know? In the first place, he 
should know how to select a good location for his business. 
Many a man has been ruined by making a mistake here, 
that was fatal to any permanent success. If one has not a 
reliable home market, he should be very sure of good and 
reliable outside markets, with freight rates that will allow 
him to compete fully and fairly with all competitors. A 
second, and very important point, is the quality of the soil, 
