Vermont State Horticultural Society. 61 



and several times two one-horse loads were sent. At the last of 

 the trip they visit a large hotel whose proprietor is a close buyer 

 and a kind of bargain counter remnant sale takes place. We 

 count it a fine experience for the boys. The trade was not so 

 very large this year, about $300. We hope to double that 

 another season. 



A word about what we grow. We have had hot beds for 

 two seasons, mainly to get plants for transplariting. Storm 

 windows make good covers for cold frames in which to trans- 

 plant tomatoes, etc. Prizetaker onions started in the hot bed, 

 looked so fine when transplanted to a piece of perfectly fitted 

 ground about two rods square that we got down to figures and 

 put the value at $50. However, while man proposed, the onion 

 maggot disposed of about the entire lot. An application of salt 

 seemed to give about the flavor they wanted. Sulphur seemed 

 too much like the sulphur and molasses our mothers used to 

 give us boys every spring to increase our appetites, and lime 

 simply whitewashed the whole scandalous proceeding. At har- 

 vest time we reduced the $50 estimate about $48. Peas from 

 first week in June to about September were profitable. In 1903, 

 four rows of Scott's Earliana tomatoes, 3 rods long, escaped all 

 the ills tomatoes were heir to that year and gave us a big crop 

 that brought fully $100. Last spring we sold $25 worth of 

 plants. Plants came by express and wagon loads and it seemed 

 the town would be flooded with tomatoes, especially as it proved 

 a good season for the crop. We had a much larger area than 

 the year before, and it did not seem as if there could be anything 

 in tomatoes. But the Earlianas got in first and we wasted very 

 few tomatoes during the season though, of course, they sold at 

 lower prices. We decided, anything you push,, the market will 

 take. Celery was a magnificent crop from July on. One-fourth 

 acre late celery looked fine ; we neglected to bank it ; a hard 

 freeze spoiled the outer stocks and we only had small bunches 

 left. A little carelessness and mismanagement cost us perhaps 

 $75 on that 34 acre. Cabbages were a fine lot, it did not seem 

 as if they could ever be sold so abundant was the crop in sight. 

 But they are sold except what we have trenched in for spring 

 trade. Fairhaven is a roomy town, nearly every home with a 

 large garden. Warm sandy land, the season was adapted to 

 their best development. Seldom have the gardens been so good 

 and yet we have been able to sell everything we raised in fruit 

 and vegetables. Of course our business has been small com- 

 pared to large gardeners, but the capacity of the home garden 

 has surprised us. But the Yankee wants to know, is there 

 money in the business? That depends on many conditions. We 

 are very well satisfied. June,, the time of the strawberries, was 



