416 Report of Farmers' Institutes 



carnations 



Carnation growing is more generally distributed over the state, 

 but the industry is considerably localized on the eastern section 

 of Long Island. Carnations thrive best in a medium light soil, and 

 in a section vs^here the climate in summer is comparatively cool. 

 These conditions are found on Long Island, and excellent carna- 

 tions have for many years been produced there. In fact. Long 

 Island was the place wdiere the first carnations were grown in 

 America. The firm of Dailledouze, Zeller & Card, at Flatbush, 

 which is now the firm of Dailledouze Brothers, was among the 

 first to grow carnations in America. This was in 1858. The 

 firm now has about one hundred thousand square feet of glass and 

 grows some of the finest carnations sent into the New York market. 

 Among other large carnation growers are the Cottage Gardens 

 Company, Queens, and James Cockcroft, Northport, L. I. 



ORCHIDS AND SWEET PEAS 



Orchid specialists are not numerous in New York State, the 

 New York market being supplied largely from growers located in 

 Northern New Jersey. There are also comparatively few sweet 

 pea specialists. 



POTTED PLANTS 



Within a comparatively few years there has been a revival of 

 interest in growing potted plants. These were at one time the 

 principal product of glass houses ; but, with improved construction 

 and methods of culture, the cut flower business has become more 

 important. A well-grown potted plant is a thing of beauty and 

 admiration, but when poorly gTown it is of little value. A few 

 men in New York have seen the value of these plants from the 

 commercial viewpoint and have aimed to produce them to perfec- 

 tion. "The demand for potted plants is greatest at Christmas and 

 at Easter, but well-grown flowering plants will sell at almost any 

 season of the year, buyers often preferring a potted plant to cut 

 flowers, because, as a rule, they have better keeping qualities. 



The potted flowering plants most generally grown are azaleas, 

 cyclamens, primroses, ericas or heaths, hydrangeas, genistas, calceo- 

 larias, cinerarias, begonias, Easter lilies, and other bulbous plants. 



