Tukey • Horticulture is a Great Green Carpet that Covers the Earth 161 



THE AFFAIRS OR BUSINESS SIDE OF potatocs by nearly a half, and cereals 



HORTICULTURE by nearly a third. On the other hand, 



there has been an improvement in the 



The discussion so far has been use of the so-called protective foods, 



aimed primarily at problems of produc- Yellow, green, and leafy vegetables 



tion. But the greatest change that has have increased about one-third. Fruits 



come to research in American Horti- have increased about 14 per cent. Milk 



culture during the past decade has not and dair)' products have increased 



been along the lines of production; it nearly as much, 



has been along the lines of outlets, mar- Another change has been the in- 



kets, and consumer aceptance. crease in processing of horticultural 



This has been brought about by the products. More than half of all the 



tremendous competition between food- vegetables, and more than half of all 



stuffs on the American market. In the fruits produced in America, are 



1951 there were 125 different fruits and now processed in one way or another, 



vegetables offered for sale, 98 of these Frozen foods, fruit juices, and prepared 



in larger than carload lots. Some of baby foods have increased tremen- 



these products are relatively new- dously in amount. In fact, the quan- 



comers in quantity, such as escarole, tity of so-called "baby foods" is equiva- 



dasheens, cranshaws, papayas, mangoes, lent to 36 pounds per year for all 



kumquats, avocados, and prickly pears, children under 3 years of age! Over 60 



The housewife is no longer required by per cent of the retail stores in the major 



necessity to take what is set before her, cities are now equipped with frozen 



but may select what she wishes; and food cabinets, 



she is a very shrewd and efficient buyer. Since the shortage of labor is the 



Studies of the purchasing activities major problem on American farms, 

 of Mrs. Housewife and the retail store every conceivable gadget has been in- 

 have revealed interesting facts. As an troduced to effect efficiency. Pneu- 

 example, it has been found that in the matic pruners and hydraulic pruning 

 Detroit market between November and and harvesting platforms have shown 

 February the sale of oranges averaged their worth. A strawberr\' planting ma- 

 $32.00, and of apples $29.00, both to- chine will set 25 acres of strawberries 

 gether constituting two-thirds of the in a day. In the pruning of black rasp- 

 fresh fruit sales. Retailers set aside an berries a vertical and a horizontal 

 average of 97 square feet of floor for power mower has been devised which 

 display of fruits, of which 25 per cent hacks the plants into control most bru- 

 was for apples. Apple sales averaged tally, but most efficiently. It will be in- 

 $1.19 for each square foot of display teresting to see what progress the fruit 

 space. When the display space was in- grower, the agricultural engineer, and 

 creased 10 per cent, sales increased 4 the manufacturer will make in these 

 per cent. A 2-pound unit of sale moved directions in the next few years, 

 less fruit than larger units up to 6 



pounds. Bulk displays placed alongside the art and home side of 



packaged displays increased sales as horticulture 

 much as 35 per cent. 



It has been found that the Amer- It is the art and home side of horti- 



ican diet has shifted remarkably in 40 culture that at the moment is cr^•ing 



years. The per capita caloric intake has for attention. We become so in\olvcd 



declined from 3,500 to 3,200, expressed in the biological and the affairs side 



largely in reduction in consumption of that we overlook the one that is likely 



