414 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



the flower industry in new york state 



The production of ornamental plants and cut flowers is an 

 industry that has always centered around the more densely popu- 

 lated sections ; hence it is that states having the largest number of 

 large cities lead in this industry. New York State holds the 

 leading place in this respect, the annual production of flowers 

 and plants, as estimated in the census of 1910, being valued at 

 $5,148,949. There were 1,398 growers who reported an income 

 of more than $250 on glass-house products of ornamental plants 

 and flowers. The products were grown in an area of 13,876,857 

 square feet of glass. Other states foremost in flower production 

 are, Pennsylvania with a value of $3,803,418; Illinois, $3,694,- 

 801 ; New Jersey, $2,857,709 ; and Massachusetts, $2,455,467. 



In New York State the industry centers about New York City. 

 Other large cities are so distributed over the state that the busi- 

 ness is not wholly localized in that section, as is true in states 

 having but one or two large cities. Rochester has the distinction 

 of being called the '' Flower City of the United States," while 

 Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, and several other cities producq 

 and dispose of quantities of flowers and plants. 



The present tendency among flower and plant producers is 

 towards specialization. An important limiting factor in special- 

 ization, however, is the character of the soil. The ability of an 

 individual to produce some one crop better than anyone else is 

 also an important factor. 



VIOLETS 



The soil factor has been largely responsible for localizing violet 

 production about Rhinebeck and that section of the Hudson River 

 valley. A few growers made so pronounced a success of the busi- 

 ness that it was entered into by a large number of men in that 

 vicinity, many of whom had had little or no experience in flower 

 growing. There are no large greenhouses devoted to this crop, 

 but there are approximately eighty-five growers who have ranges 

 covering from one to three thousand square feet. Only double 

 violets are grown, and they are shipped to all parts of the state, 



